Zelensky and European backers split on long-range weapons
Ukraine’s European backers made no official statements on granting Kiev access to long-range weaponry following a meeting in London on Friday.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Dutch and Danish counterparts Dick Schoof and Mette Frederiksen attended the meeting devoted to additional military support for Kiev.
Zelensky was expected to seek more long-range weaponry following US President Donald Trump’s refusal to grant him access to Tomahawk missiles. However, despite statements from Rutte that Ukraine has the right to long-range weaponry, no statement was made recognizing Kiev’s request.
Starmer vowed to put “military pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin through continued supplies of “long-range capabilities” to Kiev.
“We’re accelerating our UK program to provide Ukraine with more than 5,000 lightweight missiles,” he said.
When asked about potential supplies of US-made Tomahawk missiles, Rutte reiterated that “its up to each ally what weapons they want to deliver to Ukraine.”
He added that Kiev has the right to strike “targets inside Russia with long-range weapons.”
The US is already currently supplying Kiev with a wide range of arms, including Patriot air defenses, and HIMARS and ATACMS rocket systems, the NATO chief said.
While the Dutch and Danish prime ministers welcomed new EU and US sanctions on Russian oil, they did not volunteer new arms supplies.
Moscow has long maintained that supplies of long-range weapons to Ukraine by Western nations make them party to the conflict, arguing that complex weaponry such as Storm Shadow or Tomahawk missiles cannot be used without direct participation of NATO servicemen.
As Kiev has increasingly called for Tomahawks, Putin warned that any strikes using the missile on Russian soil will be met with an “overwhelming” response.
