UK premier, NATO chief discuss defense, Ukraine military support

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham met on Wednesday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss defense and security as well as military support to Ukraine, his office said.

Burnham hosted Rutte at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, and the pair discussed how the UK could further support innovation within NATO to ensure the alliance had the forces of the future across all domains.

"The new national space strategy, released last week, would further enhance the UK's innovation and resilience in the space domain too," the prime minister said, according to a statement.

Turning to Ukraine, Burnham reflected on his visit to Kyiv last month and said he was focused on supporting diplomatic efforts to secure further air defense for the country.

Meanwhile, Rutte thanked Burnham for the UK's £100 million ($134 million) Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, funding contribution for further defensive equipment announced last week.

On the Middle East, the readout said, "Both underlined the importance of ensuring long-term stability and security in the region."