The British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said on Wednesday that the West is “listening carefully” to calls to allow Ukrainian forces to use long-range missiles at military targets inside Russia.
Speaking in Kyiv Lammy said that he and his counterpart, the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who are on a joint visit to Ukraine said they want to show their support for Kyiv in their war efforts.
Lammy said that he and Blinken are “listening to Ukraine, to speak to President Zelensky to hear and understand the strategy.”
Lammy was asked if London will allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia, he said, “We’re here to listen, to understand the plan, to understand the strategy and understand the needs across a whole range of fronts.
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“Yes, of course, equipment but of course energy that has been sabotaged, the support that’s needed on the humanitarian front over these next few months and how we continue to mobilise the international community on Ukraine’s behalf.
“So we are listening carefully and, of course, we are having discussions on a range of issues including the military equipment that Ukraine needs to win.”
He added, “We’re seeing Russia amplify its work with its friends and we’ve seen this horrendous transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia over the last few days.
“We’ve sanctioned further the Russian Shadow Fleet today and my colleague John Healey has announced more ammunition, more armoured vehicles, more support to Ukraine’s victory effort at this time. We’re here to listen.
“That’s why I’m here with Tony Blinken, a US Secretary of State, a UK Foreign Secretary travelling together.
“We haven’t seen that for well over a decade in our system.
“Travelling here to listen to Ukraine, to speak to President Zelensky, to hear and understand the strategy because we are determined to see Ukraine win in their efforts over the coming months and over this period.”
Lammy said at a press conference with his US counterpart, “One of the purposes of the trip we will be taking together is to hear directly from the Ukrainian leadership including … President Zelensky about exactly how the Ukrainians see their needs in this moment, toward what objectives and what we can do to support those needs.
“All I can tell you is we will be listening intently to our Ukrainian partners, we will both be reporting back to the Prime Minister, to President Biden in the coming days, and I fully anticipate this is something they will take up when they meet on Friday.”
