Zelensky calls for ‘strong decisions’ from West on use of long-range missiles

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for “strong decisions” to be made as he ramped up the pressure on the West for permission to use long-distance missiles in Russia.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his US counterpart Antony Blinken are on a joint visit to the Ukrainian capital to show support for Kyiv.

Mr Lammy announced on Wednesday over £600 million worth of support for Ukraine, including aid to meet immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs.

Mr Zelensky has repeatedly pushed for permission to use Western missiles to strike at targets within Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and US President Joe Biden and Sir Keir Starmer are set to discuss the issue in Washington on Friday.

Speaking during an International Crimea Platform conference attended by Mr Lammy and Mr Blinken, the Ukrainian president 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.

“For us it is very important for today. Anyway, I will tell you after the meeting and anyway I am counting on my dialogue with President Biden this month.”

His words follow a similar request from Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who asked the British Foreign Secretary on Wednesday for “help and support” in using long-range missiles.

Speaking at the start of a meeting with Mr Lammy at his office in Kyiv on Wednesday, 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. And we hope for your help and support in this issue.”

Mr Lammy told reporters the West is “listening carefully” to Ukraine’s needs, adding that both he and his US counterpart were in Kyiv to “listen to Ukraine, to speak to President Zelensky, to hear and understand the strategy”.

When asked if the UK would allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia, Mr Lammy said: “We’re here to listen, to understand the plan, to understand the strategy and understand the needs across a whole range of fronts.

“Yes, of course, equipment but of course energy that has been sabotaged, the support that’s needed on the humanitarian front over these next few months and how we continue to mobilise the international community on Ukraine’s behalf.

“So we are listening carefully and, of course, we are having discussions on a range of issues including the military equipment that Ukraine needs to win.”

Mr Lammy and Mr Blinken took an overnight train from eastern Poland and reached the Ukrainian capital at 11.45am local time.

Mr Blinken travelled from London, where he accused Iran of providing Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, calling the move a “dramatic escalation” of the war.

The Foreign Secretary announced over £600 million-worth of support for Ukraine on Wednesday.

The package includes a reaffirmation of Rishi Sunak’s pledge of £242 million, as well as 484 million US dollars worth of loan guarantees for World Bank lending before the end of the year.

The former will include aid to meet immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs, while the latter will help bolster Ukraine’s economic stability.

The loan guarantees are the second deployment of an overall pledge of three billion US dollars over three years.

Mr Lammy said: “The UK’s support to Ukraine is unwavering.

“Our commitment of over £600 million worth of support is the latest instalment in our enduring support to Ukraine.

“This will provide vital support to Ukrainians as they continue to endure relentless Russian attacks.

“It is a privilege to be one of the first to meet my new counterparts.

“The bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people is inspiring.

“Alongside the United States, we are committed to giving Ukraine what it needs to resist Russia’s illegal invasion.

“Their fight for freedom, liberty and democracy is also a fight for British security, European security, and global security.

“With the US, we stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”