Burnham’s Ukraine gambit is a symbolic start for PM who wants to look inward

Andy Burnham told Volodymyr Zelenskyy: ‘We are with Ukraine 100%, I am personally with you 100%, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.’ Photograph: Simon Jones/The Sun/AP View image in fullscreen Andy Burnham told Volodymyr Zelenskyy: ‘We are with Ukraine 100%, I am personally with you 100%, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.’ Photograph: Simon Jones/The Sun/AP Analysis Burnham’s Ukraine gambit is a symbolic start for PM who wants to look inward Pippa Crerar Political editor New prime minister wants to focus at home, but his first week already suggests the world has other plans It took just seven days in office for Andy Burnham to meet his first world leader. As he welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a naval base in Portsmouth on Monday, the new prime minister told the Ukrainian president it was “no accident” he was his first international visitor since entering No 10. “It is intended to send a very clear message,” Burnham told him. “We are with Ukraine 100%, I am personally with you 100%, and I will honour every commitment this country has made to Ukraine in full.” In short, the UK’s support for Kyiv would continue despite the change in leadership. For Keir Starmer , the relationship with Zelenskyy became one of the defining ones of his premiership. He visited Ukraine four times over his two years in office, inviting the Ukrainian president back to the UK on another four occasions. They also met regularly at international summits. In a symbolic move, Starmer also travelled to Ukraine during his final week in office, receiving the order of freedom medal for his role leading the coalition of the willing and helping to persuade Donald Trump back to the table on Ukraine after he flirted with siding with Putin. But over the course of his premiership, the former Labour leader faced accusations of spending too much time on international issues instead of domestic ones, with his critics nicknaming him “never here Keir” and even his own Downing Street team complaining that he “needs to get off a plane”. View image in fullscreen Zelenskyy talks to Burnham. The UK prime minister said: ‘It is intended to send a very clear message.’ Photograph: Simon Jones/The Sun/AP Burnham, in contrast, has always been clear he would prioritise what was happening at home, reflecting his own political instincts as well as his wariness of not falling into the same trap as his predecessor. But it led some in the Labour party to worry that he would be unprepared for the global stage. “It’s a frustrating characterisation because not many incoming prime ministers, including Keir, have any experience of international affairs,” one of his inner circle said. “Andy has said that his priority will be domestic, but of course there will be moments where he’ll need to be more outward facing.” Day to day, Burnham’s allies suggested that he will rely on delegating responsibility to his team – including his foreig