Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for British “leadership” so Ukraine’s armed forces can fire West-supplied missiles at targets deep inside Russia.
In an historic address to the Cabinet, the Ukrainian president called for restrictions on the use of long-range weapons to be eased so they can hit sites from where missiles are being fired at cities and towns in his country.
Having stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Sir Keir Starmer on the No10 steps, he later urged him to “show your leadership” and help with Ukraine’s “long-range capability”.
The Ukrainian president was the first official visitor to Downing Street under Sir Keir’s premiership, and the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since US president Bill Clinton in 1997.
Mr Zelensky told Sir Keir’s senior team of ministers that “if the restriction on western weapons is lifted” it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defence and also secure its frontline positions.
He said “it is possible to destroy” areas in Russia where weapons are being concentrated.
On long-range capability, the president said “we are still missing the main answer to this question” and told the Prime Minister “I ask you to show your leadership” on the issue.
The UK is providing missiles and other equipment to Kyiv for Ukraine’s defence and this does not “preclude” hitting targets inside Russia.
But ministers stress that the details of consents for the use of British missiles, which also include components from at least one other country, are “complex”.
Britain has led the West in arming Ukraine, first with anti-tank missiles, then Challenger II tanks, and long range Storm Shadow missiles.
Now, Kyiv appears to be seeking the UK’s support to get more freedom to fire missiles from the West into Russia.
In a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian President before Cabinet, Sir Keir said the UK is “united in our Parliament” in supporting Kyiv for as long as possible.
“It’s a very special moment for us to reiterate our support for you and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression and to have this opportunity to confirm again our resolve to stand with you, so thank you so much for accepting the invitation,” said the PM.
Mr Zelensky thanked the UK for its “unity” with and backing for Kyiv and said “we feel this support”.
But he also emphasised that he wanted to discuss “strong decisions” in the war in Ukraine.
He was expected to brief ministers about the situation in Ukraine and the need to expand Europe’s defence industrial base, as well as agreeing a £3.5 billion defence export finance deal with Sir Keir.
The meetings in Whitehall come just hours after Donald Trump claimed he could end the war in Ukraine “with a telephone call,” fuelling fears that if elected for a second term, he would seek to force Kyiv to the negotiating table even if it meant handing over swathes of land to Russia.
But British Defence Secretary John Healey stressed to Times Radio, clearly referring to China’s threat to Taiwan: “For any president whose first interest is America’s interests then the argument to them is that if Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe is less secure and it’s directly in America’s interests that big, aggressive, autocratic states do not see that they can get away with redrawing sovereign boundaries by force in the way that Russia is trying to do.”
He later told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “It’s the Ukrainians who are fighting. It’s their call when they stop.”
