The U.K. has already privately decided to allow Ukraine to use its British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for long-range strikes deep into Russia, the Guardian reported on Sept. 11, citing unnamed U.K. officials.
Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Washington has claimed that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with its weapons could escalate the situation.
Ukraine has reportedly used Storm Shadow missiles, with a range of up to 250 kilometers (150 miles), to hit Russian military targets in Crimea, a sovereign Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Russia.
The Telegraph reported in August, citing unnamed sources, that the U.K. was privately in favor of allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles in strikes on Russia, but was unwilling to publicly press for such a change in policy due to fears of backlash from the U.S.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has successfully tested its first ballistic missile manufactured by the country’s defence industry.
The delivery of Iranian missiles to Russia has changed the debate about Ukraine using Western-provided long-range missiles against targets inside Russia, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has told the BBC on a visit to Kyiv.
Lammy travelled to the Ukrainian capital with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after talks in London.
They met President Volodymr Zelensky, who has repeatedly called for allies to loosen limits on the use of Western-supplied weapons.
The US and UK have not given Ukraine permission to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia for fear of escalation.
At a news conference in Kyiv on Wednesday, Blinken said US President Joe Biden would likely discuss the use of long-range missiles with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the White House on Friday.
Asked about the risk of escalation, the US secretary of state added: “We’ve now seen this action of Russia acquiring ballistic missiles from Iran, which will further empower their aggression in Ukraine. So if anyone is taking escalatory action, it would appear to be Mr Putin and Russia.”
Lammy would not be drawn into whether the US and UK would be allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles, but said: “I am not prepared to give Putin the advantage.”
Biden has said his administration is considering lifting the restrictions, but no decision has yet been made public.
On Wednesday, Zelensky said Kyiv’s victory in the war against Russia “depends mostly on the support of the United States”.
The US has been the biggest arms supplier to Ukraine. Between February 2022 and the end of June 2024, it delivered or committed weapons and equipment worth $57bn (£43bn), according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research organisation.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said steps towards lifting long-range missile restrictions “are important in the context of reports of a possible transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia by Iran”.
“We must act boldly,” he added.
In an interview with the BBC, Lammy said Iran providing Russia with ballistic missiles “clearly changes the debate” as they would allow Moscow’s forces “to have further penetration into Ukraine”.
“That is very dangerous,” Lammy said, adding: “As we see the Russians working with their partners, we see this transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia, it is important that we do more to support Ukraine to win in their efforts.”
On Wednesday, Lammy said the UK would provide £600m ($780m) in aid to Ukraine to support the country’s “humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs”. Blinken announced a further $700m in assistance to Ukraine, including funding for the energy sector and demining.
The new aid came after the US, UK, France and Germany imposed further sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine. The UK government summoned Iran’s top diplomat over the accusations.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked Lammy for the UK’s military support for Ukraine throughout the war.
But he added: “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.”
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