After Zelenskyy's 'strong decisions' call, Blinken hints at lifting curbs on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles in Russia

Hours after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged US and UK to take “strong decisions”, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday gave his strongest hint yet that the White House is about to lift its restrictions on Ukraine using long-range weapons supplied by the West on key military targets deep inside Russia.

According to a Guardian report, the decision is understood to have already been made in private.

Speaking in Kyiv alongside the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Blinken said the US had “from day one” been willing to adapt its policy as the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine changed.

“We will continue to do this,” The Guardian quoted him as saying.

Blinken said that he and Lammy would update their “bosses”, Joe Biden and Keir Starmer, after their discussions with the Ukrainian President.

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The foreign secretary said that the recent revelation of Iran sending ballistic missiles to Moscow had shifted strategic considerations in both London and Washington.

“It was a significant and dangerous escalation,” Lammy was quoted as saying.

“The escalator here is Putin. Putin has escalated with the shipment of missiles from Iran. We see a new axis of Russia, Iran and North Korea,” Lammy added.

Lammy urged China “not to throw in its lot” with what he called “a group of renegades”, reported The Guardian.

According to the report, British government sources revealed that a decision to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow cruise missiles against targets in Russia has been made, but it’s unlikely to be publicly announced during Keir Starmer’s Friday meeting with Joe Biden in Washington, DC.

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The meeting will focus on the broader strategic aspects of the Ukraine war rather than specific weapons systems. No press conference is planned for what is expected to be a brief visit, Starmer’s second to the US as prime minister. Further discussions with European allies may follow over the weekend.

Wednesday’s joint visit to Kyiv by Blinken and Lammy to meet Zelenskyy would not be taking place had there been no positive decision regarding Storm Shadow. However, announcing this publicly in Kyiv could be seen as provocative, and restrictions are expected to remain on the missile’s use to prevent reckless attacks, added the report, citing sources.

Ukraine has been lobbying for months for permission to hit airfields, missile launchers and command and control centres deep inside Russian territory.

Blinken and Lammy arrived in Kyiv on an overnight train from Poland. They had come to reiterate “ironclad support for Ukraine”, Lammy posted on X.

I am in Kyiv today with @SecBlinken to reiterate our united and ironclad support for Ukraine.

We must stand up to Vladimir Putin’s imperialism.

Our collective security depends on it. pic.twitter.com/EQTMWDC1rH

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) September 11, 2024

The trip came 24 hours after Blinken confirmed in London that Tehran had shipped new deadly ballistic missiles to Russia.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy urged both the US and UK to take “strong decisions” as he renewed his call for permission to use long-range missiles deep inside Russia.

According to The Guardian report, citing the PA news agency, Zelenskyy, ahead of his talks with Blinken and Lammy, said that while he was optimistic about their decision to give Ukraine permission to use long-distance missiles, it eventually depends on their optimism and “strong decisions” on the issue.

“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,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.

“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 added.

“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 (Joe) Biden this month,” he further added.

Zelenskyy also said that a “victory plan” he wants to present to US President Joe Biden this month would strengthen Kyiv and have a “psychological” impact that could push Russia to end its war diplomatically.

Speaking at Kyiv’s annual Crimean Platform event, Zelenskyy said it was important that Ukraine presented the plan to its allies before a second international summit on peace that he wants to hold later this year.

“If partners support it (the plan), it will make it easier for Ukraine to force Russia to end the war,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

“What is this plan for? It is a serious strengthening of Ukraine and, in my opinion, it will have both psychological and political… influence on Russia’s decision to end this war,” added the Ukrainian President.

With inputs from agencies