Zelensky urges PM to help lift Ukraine weapon limits
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Sir Keir Starmer to demonstrate leadership by advocating for the removal of restrictions on the use of weapons supplied by Western allies. Speaking at a Downing Street cabinet meeting, Zelensky argued that allowing Ukraine to target Russian territory could help reduce attacks on Ukrainian residential areas.
When questioned about this earlier, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the UK’s supply of weapons to Ukraine does not prevent them from targeting Russian sites. However, he emphasized that such actions must be carried out by Ukrainians and must comply with international humanitarian law.
Healey mentioned that the UK is engaged in “intense discussions” on these complex issues but refrained from providing specific details publicly.
During his visit, Zelensky also expressed gratitude to the British government for its ongoing support, which he believes will contribute to ending the conflict with Russia. He was welcomed with a standing ovation from senior ministers, marking the first time since US President Bill Clinton in 1997 that a foreign leader has addressed the cabinet in person.
Sir Keir Starmer vowed to “double down” on support for Ukraine and assured Zelensky that the UK’s commitment to Ukraine spans beyond Parliament to the entire country. Starmer also accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine in the future.
In June, Ukraine was granted permission to use Western weapons to target locations within Russia. Previously, it could only attack occupied territories within Ukraine. However, this permission does not cover long-range weapons capable of striking military bases deep within Russia.
Earlier this month, a children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was hit after Russia launched a wave of missile strikes against Ukrainian cities.
During the cabinet meeting, Mr Zelensky told senior ministers that Russian President Vladimir Putin “must pay” for his “disregard for human life”.
“How can we ensure this? Right now we are missing the main answer to this question – that is our long-range capability.
“Show your leadership in this and please convince other partners to remove the limits.
“We need this step – that will force Russia to seek peace.”
During his visit to No 10, Mr Zelensky signed a defence export support treaty aimed at helping Ukrainian and UK defence companies to invest in further military capabilities.
It followed Thursday’s meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where the continent’s leaders agreed to tackle Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” – 600 tankers evading sanctions on Russian oil.
The vessels carry around 1.7 million barrels of oil per day. Some are also believed to be transporting weapons to Russia or acting as Russian listening stations.
