According to BBC News: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have arrived in Kyiv for a pivotal joint visit, amid Ukraine’s call for the right to use US and British long-range missiles against Russia.
Following talks in London, the two diplomats traveled to the Ukrainian capital to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been pressing Washington to ease restrictions on US-supplied weapons. Blinken emphasized the importance of “hearing directly from the Ukrainian leadership” regarding their strategic needs.
US President Joe Biden hinted at a possible policy shift, stating his administration is “working” on whether to lift restrictions that currently limit Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles, amid fears of escalation. The debate is set to intensify with a meeting between UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Biden later this week.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed gratitude for British military support but urged for access to more potent weaponry to counter Russian aggression. At present, the US and UK have withheld permission for Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia.
The Kremlin warned of an “appropriate” response if the US allows such missile strikes on Russian soil. Meanwhile, Blinken and Lammy accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia, which could be deployed against Ukraine within weeks, prompting new sanctions from the US, UK, France, and Germany.
With tensions mounting, the future of Ukraine’s military capabilities hangs in the balance.
