British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is currently in Washington, D.C., for high-stakes discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden, focusing on the next steps in supporting Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. The pivotal topic of their talks is whether Ukraine should be permitted to use Western missiles, such as the long-range U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to strike targets within Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been actively lobbying Western allies for months, urging them to allow Ukraine to deploy advanced Western missiles to counter Russian aggression. Zelenskiy believes that using these missiles could significantly reduce Moscow’s capacity to launch attacks and improve Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities.
According to The New York Times, citing European officials, there is a possibility that the United States may approve the use of long-range missiles by Ukraine against targets in Russia. However, this approval would come with the condition that the weapons used are not those supplied directly by the U.S.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that allowing Ukraine to use Western-made long-range missiles to target Russian territory would escalate the conflict and alter its nature. Putin’s comments reflect the high stakes involved in the decision, which could potentially lead to a direct confrontation between the West and Russia.
The discussions in Washington follow a recent joint fact-finding mission to Kyiv by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. During this visit, both countries reiterated their support for Ukraine but did not make any commitments regarding the use of missiles.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated that talks might extend beyond Friday, tempering expectations of an immediate decision from Starmer’s visit. In his remarks en route to Washington, Starmer emphasized that the discussions would encompass a broad strategic context rather than isolated decisions.
Sources By Agencies
