The relationship between Ukraine and the UK has “got worse” since Labour won the general election and Keir Starmer has been accused of being nothing more than a “tourist” visiting Kyiv.
A Ukrainian official has said there is a lot of frustration with Starmer over providing long-range missiles as there is hesitation from Labour.
Ukrainian forces rely on the UK’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles to attack Russian positions, but Starmer seems to be dithering in making decisions, this has also been seen with the Biden administration and other NATO allies throughout 2024.
A Ukrainian insider told the Guardian newspaper speaking of the British Prime Minister, “There’s no point in his coming as a tourist.”
Taking about the Storm Shadow cruise missiles, the insider said, “It isn’t happening. Starmer isn’t giving us long-range weapons.
“The situation is not the same as when Rishi Sunak was prime minister. The relationship has got worse.”
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Officials in Ukraine said they’ve not received any new supplies in months, if they did have them then they would have been “using them to hit Russian targets.”
Ukrainian officials have serious doubts over the UK’s willingness to help support them to fight Russia.
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha said last week, “We call on Europe to realise that North Korean troops are now waging a war of aggression in Europe against a sovereign European state.
“This proves once again that while the West fears escalation and hesitates, Russia acts and escalates.”
He added, “we cannot beg Russia for peace, we can only force it to peace.
“The steps are clear. Supporting the Victory Plan and lifting all restrictions to protect life from terror. It is necessary to take these decisions as soon as possible.”
Anton Gerashchenko, a former advisor to the Ukrainian interior ministry, said, “The war hasn’t stopped while new decisions are awaited.
“Every day, there are heavy battles on the Ukrainian frontlines and strikes on our civilians.
“Russia hasn’t stopped to wait for negotiations, it has increased its pressure to capture as much Ukrainian territory and inflict as much damage as it can.”
He added, “Ukraine has become the arena of a geopolitical battle.
“We are paying the largest price possible – the lives of our people and destruction of our country.
A strong Ukraine defending the European continent from the threat of war is a common interest if we want peace in Europe and wish to stop Russia.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said, “One of the prime minister’s first decisions in office was to commit to spending £3bn on support for Ukraine every year – since then, the prime minister has met President Zelensky six times, including hosting him at No 10 twice, and meeting him at the European political community meeting in Hungary this week.”
