Sawt Falasteen - British PM Burnham hits a chord on Kyiv visit

The walk-around occurred as he was in the capital for Ukraine's Independence Day and to attend a meeting of allies backing Kyiv as it fends off Russia's invasion, now in its fifth year.

It was Burnham's first trip abroad since taking office as prime minister last month.

At one point, Burnham stopped to play some chords on a guitar next to a Ukrainian soldier in the back of a soundproofed van, an AFP photographer saw.

According to media, Burnham played a tune by the British rock band The Smiths, and said he believed music can "lift spirits" on Ukraine's front line.

Burnham also went to a Kyiv shopping centre that was destroyed by a Russian attack in May, mingling with locals and having selfies taken with them.

The war in Ukraine has worsened this year, with Russia escalating its strikes. The number of civilian deaths has climbed to its highest level since the first months of Moscow's 2022 invasion.

Diplomatic efforts initiated by the United States have stalled as Washington gets bogged down and diverted by its war against Iran.

Speaking earlier alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky, Burnham vowed that Britain "will continue our support for Ukraine's defence" and compared the fighting to what allies faced against Nazi Germany.

The Kremlin on Monday accused Britain of prolonging the war by helping Ukraine with missile technology.

M.AbuKhalil--SF-PST