Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia - Ukrain War
Blinken and Lammy Visit Kyiv as Ukraine Pushes for Expanded Missile Capabilities Against Russia
Kyiv is intensifying its calls for Western allies to remove restrictions on the use of long range missiles against Russia, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrive in the Ukrainian capital for a joint diplomatic mission. The two officials traveled together to Kyiv following discussions in London and are scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has persistently urged the United States to ease limitations on U.S. supplied weaponry.
Blinken emphasized that one of their primary goals is to "hear directly from the Ukrainian leadership" regarding their "objectives and what we can do to support those needs." U.S. President Joe Biden also addressed the issue, stating that his administration is "working on" whether to lift the existing restrictions on missile use.
The policy of limiting Ukraine's use of long range missiles will be further examined when UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets with President Biden at the White House on Friday.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed gratitude to Lammy for the UK's ongoing military support but stressed the need for "long range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy." He added, "We hope that we will have it and we hope for your help and support in this issue."
Currently, the U.S. and UK have not granted Ukraine permission to use long range missiles against targets inside Russia due to concerns about potential escalation. The UK has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of approximately 250 km (155 miles). To date, these missiles have been used solely against Russian targets within occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukrainian officials argue that access to long range missiles is essential for targeting air bases from which Russian warplanes launch devastating glide bombs against Ukraine. These attacks are often conducted from deep within Russian territory.
The Kremlin warned on Wednesday that Russia would respond "appropriately" if the U.S. were to permit Ukrainian missile strikes on its soil. When asked if the U.S. would lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long range weapons, President Biden responded that his administration is "working that out now."
Earlier this year, the U.S. eased some of the constraints, allowing Ukraine to use long range missiles against areas along Russia's border where troops are actively firing. Kyiv's other allies have also supplied long range weapons with specific restrictions on their use inside Russia, citing concerns that such strikes could provoke retaliation, potentially drawing NATO countries into the conflict or escalating to a nuclear confrontation.
Before traveling to Kyiv, Blinken, during a visit to the UK, accused Iran of supplying short range ballistic missiles to Russia, suggesting that these could be deployed against Ukrainian targets within weeks. Lammy described Iran's actions as "a significant and dangerous escalation."
These missiles are expected to bolster Russia's arsenal, enabling it to strike Ukrainian cities near the Russian border or territories under its control while using longer range missiles deeper into Ukrainian regions. Iran has repeatedly denied supplying these self guided weapons to Russia.
Additionally, on Tuesday, the U.S., UK, France, and Germany imposed new sanctions on Iran for providing ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. The sanctions included restrictions on Iran Air's ability to operate flights to the UK and Europe, as well as travel bans and asset freezes on several Iranians accused of facilitating military support for Russia.
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