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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with President Zelensky, expected to focus on deploying long-range missiles against Russia.
Traveling overnight from London, Blinken and Lammy met with senior Ukrainian officials. The Ukrainian Prime Minister set the tone, urging permission for deep strikes into Russia, a key topic of discussion.
According to Breitbart, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the following as he met the two Western envoys: “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.”
Ukraine’s new foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, emphasized after talks with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg that Ukraine must be able to use “available weapons against legitimate military targets in Russia without restrictions.” While Western allies have gradually expanded support for Ukraine, they have maintained restrictions on long-range missile use. Although advanced systems like the Anglo-French Storm Shadow and U.S. ATACMS, with 150-190 miles ranges, have been supplied, they are limited to targets within Ukraine or near the Russian border.
🚨 #Blinken, Britain’s foreign secretary arrive in #Kyiv as #Ukraine pushes for long-range strikes against #Russia
🔔 ❗️ The decision to allow #Kyiv to launch long-range missile strikes against #Russia has most likely already been made, and is now simply being formalized through… pic.twitter.com/jKQQVTUPxK
— Valentin Erikson (@eriksonvalentin) September 11, 2024
Russia has been striking Ukraine with long-range glide bombs from airfields deep within Russian territory, beyond Ukraine’s reach. Kyiv argues that using long-range missiles to target these airbases is crucial for its defense. The visit by Blinken and Lammy seems focused on whether these restrictions can be lifted.
Blinken noted that the trip’s goal is to assess Ukraine’s needs and report back to President Biden and Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday, where a decision on long-range strikes may be made, despite the risk of Russian nuclear retaliation.
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