Ukraine wants the UK to help it build a major new drone factory on British soil, thousands of kilometres from the front and out of reach of Russian missiles, Vladimir Zelensky has said.

Zelensky pitched the idea in an interview with Sky News last week, ahead of his visit to Britain to meet new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, while framing it as repayment for the training and support provided to Kiev.

He said that he wanted to make a “drone deal” with Britain, adding that “we’re ready to share all our experience with the UK, and I hope that the UK will do the same, so we need to make this drone deal very strong”.

He did not however, elaborate on the timeline, scale, possible contractors, or which coffers would finance the endeavour, as both countries are facing financial issues.

Zelensky’s push to establish the production of military for the war in Ukraine on British soil is drawing the UK into a direct war with the Russian Federation.