Ukraine urges the West to allow them to use Western long-range weapons to strike Russia – as officials argue they are ‘critically important’ for Kyiv’s success in war against Vladimir Putin

Ukraine’s ambassador yesterday issued a fresh plea to use Western long-range weapons to strike Russian territory, saying they are ‘critically important’ for Kyiv’s success.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi warned it was a ‘critical time’ for allies to show ‘fortitude’ and ‘patience’ in bolstering Ukraine’s defence, as Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged allies to show ‘guts’.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Mr Zaluzhnyi insisted that lifting restrictions on the weapons would be crucial to Kyiv’s defence.

He said: ‘Modern weapons with long-range air and ground abilities are critically important. Lifting restrictions on use of weapons against military targets in Russia is critical. This would help protect civilians from Russian missiles and… bombs.

‘This winter in Ukraine will be the most difficult. As we know, I believe in the resilience of the Ukrainian people, but without additional help the price will be very, very high.’

Sir Keir Starmer (R) and Foreign Secretary David Lammy (L) at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington before a meeting with with US President Joe Biden on September 13

The UK and US have stopped short of explicitly giving Kyiv permission to fire Western long-range missiles – such as Britain’s Storm Shadow weapons (pictured) – at targets within Russia despite repeated pleas from the country’s government

The UK and US have stopped short of explicitly giving Kyiv permission to fire Western long-range missiles – such as Britain’s Storm Shadow weapons – at targets within Russia despite repeated pleas from the country’s government.

Western concerns include the risk of escalation, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning such a move would mean that Nato countries were at war with Moscow in the wake of speculation that a change of position could be imminent.

Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Washington earlier this month to discuss the issue with US President Joe Biden but no decision was made, with both leaders continuing to resist green-lighting use of the missiles.

It is likely to come up again when Sir Keir, Mr Biden and Mr Zelensky all attend the UN ­General Assembly in New York this week. 

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK was speaking at a fringe event at the conference alongside Mr Lammy, who said international partners were engaged in a ‘very real-time discussion’ about how to help.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council on September 20

Mr Lammy said: ‘I think we have to recognise Putin’s bullying bluster and rhetoric for what it is: a sort of deliberate psychological warfare that is usually indicative of his own fears about losing this ridiculous and horrendous bloody escapade of his. 

‘He tends to throw dust up in the eyes.’

He added: ‘Now, look, there is a challenge. The challenge is that obviously in a democracy with a free press that, of course, underpins our democracy, and is important in our democracy, there is a sort of public debate and discussion, and sometimes that discussion becomes quite detailed in terms of tactics and how you prosecute a war in a way that the tactics of Russia, Iran and North Korea are not public.

‘That relies on the intelligence capability of us and our Five Eyes partners particularly, in sometimes revealing what we know what is happening…

‘I have to err on the side of not going into too much detail about how we are assisting Ukraine and are going to continue assisting Ukraine.’