America Set To Lift Restrictions For Ukraine On Long-Range Missile As It Targets Putin’s Heart
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have arrived in Kyiv for a joint visit, as Ukraine continues to press for the right to use US and British long-range missiles against Russia.
Following their talks in London, the two men traveled together to the Ukrainian capital.
They are scheduled to meet President Volodymr Zelensky, who has repeatedly urged Washington to relax restrictions on US-supplied weapons.
Blinken stated that one of their goals was to “hear directly from the Ukrainian leadership” about their “objectives and what we can do to support those needs”.
.@SecBlinken is in Kyiv with UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy to underscore the importance of our ongoing joint efforts to counter Russia’s aggression. The U.S. and UK stand united with Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and freedom. pic.twitter.com/8OTwBkhNT1
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) September 11, 2024
Earlier, US President Joe Biden stated that his administration was “working” on whether to lift the restrictions.
The policy will be scrutinised further when UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets with Biden at the White House on Friday.
Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, thanked Lammy for the UK’s military support throughout the conflict.
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.”
🇬🇧🇺🇦
— British Diplomacy Tracker (@BritDiploTrack) September 11, 2024
Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy has just announced £600 million worth of support to Ukraine against Putin’s illegal invasion.
Lammy & US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are on the first ever joint visit by a UK Foreign Secretary and a US Secretary of State to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/SxmzGkJECy
For the time being, the United States and the United Kingdom have refused to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia due to concerns about escalation.
The UK has given Ukraine Storm Shadow missiles with a range of approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles). So far, they’ve only been used against Russian targets on occupied Ukrainian territory.
However, Ukrainian leaders claim they require the missiles to target air bases from which Russian warplanes launch devastating glide bombs against Ukraine.
These weapons are frequently launched from deep inside the Russian Territory.
The Kremlin stated on Wednesday that Russia would respond “appropriately” if the US permitted Ukrainian missile strikes on its territory.
When asked by reporters on Tuesday if the US would lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons, President Biden said his administration was “working that out now”.
Earlier this year, the US relaxed some of the restrictions, allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles to target areas along Russia’s border where troops are firing from.
Kyiv’s other allies have also provided some long-range weapons, with restrictions on how and when they can be used in Russia.
This was due to concerns that such strikes would spark retaliation, drawing NATO countries into the conflict or provoking a nuclear war.
During a visit to the United Kingdom prior to his trip to Kyiv, Blinken accused Iran of supplying Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, claiming they could be deployed against Ukrainians within weeks.
Iran’s provision of ballistic missiles in direct support of Russia’s war against Ukraine is a threat to European and global security. Today, @StateDept and @USTreasury are imposing sanctions on individuals and entities supporting such activities.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 11, 2024
The missiles are likely to strengthen Russia’s arsenal, allowing it to strike Ukrainian cities close to its borders or areas it already controls while deploying longer-range missiles deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Iran has repeatedly denied providing such self-guided weapons to Russia.
Separately, on Tuesday, the US, UK, France, and Germany imposed new sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine.
Measures included restrictions on Iran Air’s ability to fly to the United Kingdom and Europe, as well as travel bans and asset freezes.
America Set To Lift Restrictions For Ukraine On Long-Range Missile As It Targets Putin’s Heart
