On Thursday, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed back against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warnings about potential conflict with the West should Ukraine be allowed to target Russian territory using long-range Western weapons.
Putin’s comments came after reports indicated that Ukraine might soon receive clearance from the U.S. and the U.K. to strike deeper into Russia with arms like the ATACMS missiles. He cautioned that such actions would essentially mean NATO’s involvement in the war, stating, “This will mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are fighting Russia.”
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Despite Kyiv’s persistent requests for permission to engage Russian targets, these moves have generally been resisted due to concerns over escalating tensions that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Starmer countered Putin’s threats, emphasizing that “Russia started this conflict” and insisting that “they’re the ones who are acting unlawfully.” He voiced this before flying to Washington for discussions with President Joe Biden about the situation.
Recent reports suggest that Ukraine could soon be allowed to utilize Western arms to engage targets within Russia. Axios’ Capitol Hill reporter, Juliegrace Brufke, revealed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently discussed this topic in Kyiv, suggesting that permissions for strikes using ATACMS would be granted.
Politico echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the Biden administration is finalizing plans to broaden Ukraine’s capabilities regarding long-range strikes.
Furthermore, The Guardian reported that U.K. government sources indicated that decisions were being made to allow the use of Storm Shadow missiles for targeting within Russia.
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed that any such decisions have likely already been finalized. He remarked that increased involvement from the U.S. and European nations is evident and warned that Russia’s response would be “appropriate.”