UK Confirms Strengthening Defense Cooperation with Allies and Deepening Ties with EU

London, October 12 (KUNA) -- British Prime Minister Andy Burnham reaffirmed on Monday his country’s commitment to strengthening defense cooperation with its allies, deepening ties with the European Union, and making the development of artificial intelligence a central pillar of Britain’s international agenda. In a statement before the British House of Commons, Burnham condemned the attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, reiterating his country’s support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Regarding Ukraine, Burnham condemned Russia’s recent attacks on infrastructure, emphasizing the continuation of British support for Kyiv and the imposition of additional sanctions on Moscow that would cover more than 90 percent of its oil production capacity. He welcomed the U.S. announcement regarding a mutual ceasefire in the energy sector, stating that “Ukraine is ready to implement the plan as soon as a start date is determined.”

Burnham accused Iran of being “very likely” responsible for the security incident at RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base, noting that his country had taken steps to impose sanctions on Iran and its criminal networks operating on British soil.

On relations with the European Union, he clarified that the upcoming summit between the two sides in Brussels on November 20 will focus on enhancing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, energy, and illegal migration. He added that several proposed agreements, if approved, would inject £10 billion ($13 billion) annually into the British economy by 2040.

Regarding Britain’s presidency of the G20 in 2027, Burnham announced plans to place artificial intelligence at the core of the country’s future international agenda by working to establish common global principles and standards for its regulation, balancing the encouragement of innovation with safeguards to protect the world from its potential risks. (End)