Burnham accuses Kremlin of "corrosive narratives" and amplifying far-right views

"They’ve amplified far right narratives, and we have evidence that they tried to interfere with the 2019 General Election."

"The Kremlin spends around £1.3billion each year on manipulating information," Mr Burnham continued. "We’re talking about an insidious campaign that reaches into people’s homes and twists what they feel about their own country and community, creating a narrative of decline, stoking division and sowing despair."

As he laid the groundwork to set up the so-called "National Centre for Information Defence", Mr Burnham turned his fire on Russia’s "escalatory rhetoric" and insisted Britain did not seek any kind of confrontation with Moscow.

Within the last few days, multiple European leaders have sounded the alarm over "hybrid warfare" waged by the Kremlin - while Nato pilots have been forced to respond to drone incursions over the Baltic states.

"We will keep investing in our defence, meeting our Nato commitments and strengthening European capabilities," he said.

"We will be relentless in building up our hard power and deterrence, but we will not play Russia’s game of trading escalatory rhetoric."

Donald Trump did not immediately respond to his speech - though told GB News on Tuesday Mr Burnham would have to be a "little bit careful" with his words on Russia, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of being "too tough" on Mr Putin.

Later in his address, Mr Burnham branded Russia a "bully" against the Ukrainian "underdog" as he reflected on his visit to Kyiv in August.

He warned that Britain would not let Mr Putin’s forces attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure this winter, with temperatures set to plunge below -20C in the eastern European nation.

And he praised the passage of the Graham Bill in the US, which Mr Trump signed last week.

The Act, named for late Ukraine hawk Lindsay Graham, allows the US to unleash sweeping sanctions against Russia.

It will make a "huge difference" in the effort to raise the cost of Mr Putin’s "senseless and illegal war", Mr Burnham said.

He continued: "We will support Ukraine to repair and protect the heat and power plants that Kyiv will depend upon this winter.

"It is right that we provide that support, but we should call Russia out this time and every time. Everyone in this room knows that strikes on civilian infrastructure are explicitly forbidden by international law.

"Yet we stand here in the UN announcing funding to mitigate the effects of these war crimes, which we reliably expect to be perpetrated yet again by a permanent member of the Security Council.

"It must end.

"Russia could choose a different course tomorrow, accept a ceasefire, come to the negotiating table. I urge them to do so. But until then, we will stand with Ukraine stronger than ever for as long as it takes."

The crux of Mr Burnham’s speech was Britain’s role in AI safety, telling world leaders he wanted the UK to act as an "honest broker" to draw up "a single set of global principles and standards" for the development of frontier AI.

He pitched the UK as a uniquely-placed nation to unite the world’s powers in AI regulation following warnings of a "10 per cent chance" it could wipe out humanity within a decade.

"We are America’s closest ally," Mr Burnham said.

"We have deep ties with our friends in the EU and will deepen them further. We work with China and emerging powers like India and Brazil.

"We sit on the Security Council. In the Commonwealth. In the CPTPP. In a divided world, we have the ability to bring people together - and we will."

Mr Burnham said the UK would work towards agreeing "a single set of global principles and standards to ensure the transparency and access we need to increase our preparedness - and to ensure that AI development is safe".

The Prime Minister had been criticised for not signing up to an initiative aimed at drawing up global rules led by countries including Norway and Finland.

But he said the UK’s plan during its presidency of the G20 would "bring together welcome initiatives from others - like that proposed by Norway this week".