Burnham uses first UN speech to attack Russia and back US AI deal

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his first address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2026 to accuse Russia of interfering in British affairs, announce a new AI defence partnership with the United States, and renew calls for a two-state solution in the Middle East. The 21-minute speech in New York came weeks after Burnham took office in July and hours after his first meeting with US President Donald Trump, marking his first major test in international diplomacy. Burnham alleged that Russian agencies have used bots, fake websites and falsified newspaper articles to spread disinformation, and that they forged the branding of 28 British organisations including universities and the BBC. He said there is evidence that Russia tried to interfere with the 2019 General Election and that the Russian government spends 1.3 billion on manipulating information. The Russian delegation watched the address. In response, Burnham announced a new National Centre for Information Defence to tackle online lies and deepfakes damaging British interests.