Ukraine urges allies to allow them to fire long-range missiles

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky today called for ‘strong decisions’ to be made as he reiterated his call for permission to use long-distance missiles in Russia . Speaking as Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US counterpart Antony Blinken visited Kyiv , he put pressure on Western powers to approve wider use of Storm Shadow cruise missiles outside Ukraine.

The US is reported to be ready to relax its ban on the British weapons, which use American technology, being used on Russian territory over retaliation fears. Joe Biden and Sir Keir Starmer are expected to discuss the missiles at a hastily-arranged meeting in Washington on Friday, after it was revealed that Iran has supplied Russia with more long-range weapons.

Speaking during an International Crimea Platform conference, President Zelensky said: ‘I will have a little bit later a talk with him (Blinken) and minister of foreign affairs for the UK. I don’t know all the details of our conversation. I will be ready to be open and honest after these consultations. ‘If I am optimistic about their decision to give us permission to use long distance, it is a pity it doesn’t depend on my optimism. It depends on their optimism. Let’s count on some strong decisions on this.’

He has repeatedly pushed for permission to use Western missiles to strike at targets within Russia. In a meeting Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal asked Mr Lammy for long-range missiles to ‘strike on (the) territory of our enemy’. Speaking in a meeting with Mr Lammy at his office in Kyiv, Mr Shmyhal said: ‘We hope that long-range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy will be reached and we will have it.

‘We hope for your help and support in this issue.’ Downing Street said there had been ‘no change in our position’ on the use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia, but the Government always listened to Ukrainian concerns. ‘We are at a critical juncture in Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression as we head into the winter,’ a No 10 spokeswoman said. ‘We have always kept in close, constant contact with the Ukrainians on what they need and provided support in line with their needs.

‘We will always listen to their position and that’s exactly what the Foreign Secretary and the secretary of state are doing in their meetings with president Zelensky today.’ The spokeswoman added: ‘Our position hasn’t changed, but we will always continue to listen to Ukrainians. ‘That’s what we’re doing in Ukraine today and the Prime Minister and (US president Joe Biden) will be discussing our support and how we can best-support Ukraine at this critical juncture as we head into the winter.

‘I’m not going to get into specifics of operational discussions and the details of that, not least because that would benefit (Vladimir) Putin.’ Iran, as it has with previous US intelligence findings, has denied providing Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. As part of the response the UK, along with France, Germany and Italy, is cancelling its bilateral air services arrangement with Iran, which will restrict Iran Air’s ability to fly in the UK and Europe.

Implementing the ban on Iran Air flights will take 12 months. The UK and Washington also announced coordinated sanctions against Iranian and Russian individuals and organisations. The UK has also sanctioned five Russian cargo ships thought to have been involved in ferrying arms.

Russian airstrikes, mostly aimed at crippling Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, have intensified in recent weeks with nightly missile and drone attacks. As Blinken and Lammy arrived in Kyiv, the U.K. announced it was banning 10 commercial ships it accuses of illicitly transporting Russian oil in violation of international sanctions. The U.K. government said the vessels would be barred from British ports and could be detained if they enter.

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