British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he would “not go into operational details” after US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to use Western-supplied long-range missiles against Russia.
Speaking to broadcasters at the G20 in Brazil, Starmer refused to rule out a draw “because if we did that the only winner is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”.
Kiev has long sought permission from Washington to use powerful Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to attack military installations inside Russia as its troops face increasing pressure.
A US official said Washington’s major policy shift on the missiles was in response to Russia’s deployment of thousands of North Korean troops in its war effort.
Britain, which has provided Storm Shadow long-range missiles to Ukraine, has consistently pressed Kiev to ease restrictions on the use of the weapons.
Putin previously warned that allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons would mean NATO was “at war” with Moscow.
In Parliament in London, lawmaker Roger Gale asked whether Britain planned to “join with the United States” in allowing Kiev to use UK-supplied missiles “as it sees fit in its own defence.” Is”.
Junior Defense Minister Maria Eagle said the government intended to “engage with our partners” on how Ukraine could use the capabilities offered by its adversaries.
Starmer said: “I have been clear for a really long time that we now need to double it down.
“We need to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs for as long as it takes, because we cannot allow Putin to win this war,” he said.
Asked if he had spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20, he said, “I have not spoken to Russia and I have no plans to do so.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, speaking to reporters after a UN Security Council meeting in New York, also refused to discuss the use of British missiles because it “threatens operational security”.
Asked how concerned he was about the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on the war in Ukraine, he said: “One president at a time.”
“We are working with President (Joe) Biden and we are committed to putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
