Zelensky urges UK to help him strike Russia – DW – 07/19/2024

Speaking at a meeting of the British cabinet, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the new British government to allow Ukrainian forces to attack deeper into Russia to stop deadly missile attacks on his country.

Zelensky told Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “I ask you to show your leadership” in lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons to strike inside Russia.

Zelensky said the key to Ukraine’s defense was the “long-term ability” to destroy sites where Russian weapons were concentrated.

Zelenskyy received a standing ovation from senior ministers as he became the first foreign leader to address the British Cabinet in person since 1997.

Russia has recently launched large-scale missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing dozens and hitting targets including a children’s hospital in Kyiv.

But some of Kyiv’s allies are reluctant to allow Ukraine to use their weapons to strike Russian territory because of fears that the West could be drawn into a direct conflict with Russia.

The British government has avoided explicitly supporting such a move, saying it is up to Kyiv to decide how it chooses to deploy its resources as long as international law is respected.

Meanwhile, Starmer said Britain would double its support for Ukraine, including a deal to help both countries boost military production. The UK is also set to give Ukraine access to £3.5 billion (€4.15 billion or $4.5 billion) in export financing to buy new weapons.

D/R/M (AP, AFP, DPA, Reuters)