Ukraine’s Prime Minister has requested the UK’s “help and support” in using long-range missiles to target Russian territory during a meeting with Foreign
Secretary David Lammy in Kyiv. Lammy, along with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is on a joint visit to the Ukrainian capital to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged Western nations to allow the use of long-range missiles for strikes within Russia, a topic expected to be discussed by U.S. President Joe Biden and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during their upcoming meeting in Washington.
At the start of his meeting with Lammy, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed hope that Ukraine would soon receive long-range strike capabilities. "We hope that long-range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy will be reached, and we will have it. And we hope for your help and support in this issue," Shmyhal stated.
Lammy and Blinken traveled by overnight train from eastern Poland, arriving in Kyiv at 11:45 am local time. Blinken had flown from London, where he accused Iran of supplying Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, describing it as a "dramatic escalation" of the war.
During a joint press conference, Lammy hailed the trip as a significant gesture, marking the first of its kind in a decade, while Blinken emphasized the importance of listening to Ukrainian leadership. “One of the purposes of the trip is to hear directly from Ukrainian leadership, including President Zelensky, about how they see their needs and objectives, and what we can do to support those needs,” Blinken said.
Both leaders will report back to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Biden following their discussions in Ukraine. When asked whether Ukraine would be allowed to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets in Russia, Lammy underscored the importance of understanding Ukraine's assessment of the situation and their specific needs on the ground.
The issue of long-range missile support remains a critical point in the ongoing discussions among Western allies. Photo by Noobuster007, Wikimedia commons.
