U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Sept. 24 that he is working to ensure Ukraine is in the "strongest position" in its war against Russia ahead of the winter months.
While Lammy refrained from confirming whether the U.K. would authorize Ukraine to use British long-range precision weapons to strike inside Russia, he acknowledged that Iran's supply of ballistic missiles to Moscow has marked a "major escalation."
President Volodymyr Zelensky has long requested permission to use British Storm Shadow missiles and U.S.-made ATACMS to hit targets deeper within Russia. However, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer postponed a decision during their meeting on Sept. 13.
Lammy, speaking in New York at the U.N. General Assembly, said he didn’t want to grant Russian President Vladimir Putin "any operational advantage," but emphasized that "the most important thing is to put Ukraine in the strongest position" as winter approaches, AFP reported.
The U.K. has consistently voiced strong support for Ukraine and has pledged a total of £12.8 billion (approximately $16.2 billion) in support for Ukraine, which includes £7.8 billion (around $9.9 billion) allocated for military assistance and £5 billion (approximately $6.3 billion) designated for non-military support.
Lammy’s remarks followed his speech at the U.N. Security Council, where he criticized Russia’s actions, accusing Moscow of violating international law and targeting civilian infrastructure.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
