UK's Starmer, Biden discuss Ukraine's use of deep-strike missiles inside Russia
President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met at the White House Friday to discuss how far Western allies might be willing to go to help Ukraine defend itself, including the possibility of allowing Ukraine to use European-made long-range missiles to strike certain targets deep inside Russia.
The talks come amid increased tension with Russia as President Vladimir Putin warned that the use of Western weapons to strike Russian targets would be seen as a serious escalation in the war and a direct challenge by NATO nations.
"Ukraine has a right to self defense, and we stood united, not just with allies here in the U.S., but across with our NATO allies. That's very, very important," Starmer told reporters after the meeting.
At issue is whether the United States and the United Kingdom might agree to repeated requests by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to loosen restrictions on the use of Western weapons, specifically Britain's Storm Shadow missiles and the Army Tactical Missile System that can be used to target Russian airfields and other sensitive sites deep inside Russia.
Both U.K. and U.S. officials on Friday sought to tamp down speculation that a decision by Biden or a major policy announcement was imminent.
"There is no change to our view on the provision of long-range strike capabilities for Ukraine to use inside Russia, and I wouldn't expect any sort of major announcement in that regard coming out of the discussions -- certainly not from our side," said John Kirby, White House national security spokesman.
Biden has been deeply reluctant to allow Ukraine to use sophisticated Western weapon systems to attack Russian targets far from its border with Ukraine. The U.K., meanwhile, has adopted a more lenient point of view that Russian airfields and other sites used to mobilize troops and other assets to attack Ukraine should be fair game for attack.
Biden's top aides remain skeptical though that deep strikes would do more than provoke Putin. U.S. aides say Russia is believed to have relocated more than 90% of its aircraft out of range of the system, and there is a limited supply of both the Army Tactical Missile System, also known as "ATACMS," and the U.K.'s Storm Shadow missiles.
A British official speaking on condition of anonymity said the focus of the meeting was much broader than any one piece of equipment, with the goal to have an "open" conversation on how to put Ukraine in a good position to defend itself.
Last month, Zelenskyy dispatched top aides to Washington with a list of potential targets inside Russia that the Ukrainians argued could make a significant difference in the war. This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy traveled to Kyiv where the issue was raised again.
Biden this week stoked speculation of a major policy shift when asked about the discussions, at one point telling reporters, "We are working that out right now."
Putin said such a change in policy would alter "the very essence" of the conflict.
"This will mean that NATO countries -- the United States and European countries -- are at war with Russia," Putin said.
Zelenskyy said he has a "victory plan" he intends to deliver to Biden this month that he says could pave the way to an end to the war. Speaking at Kyiv's annual Crimean Platform event, Zelenskyy said it was important that Ukraine presented the plan to its allies before a second international summit on peace that he wants to hold later this year.
"If partners support it, it will make it easier for Ukraine to force Russia to end the war," he said.
The Biden administration has already eased some restrictions on the use of U.S. arms, allowing Ukraine to launch limited defensive strikes against Russian forces across its border.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US official said the U.S. remains deeply skeptical that a change in policy by the U.S. and U.K. allies could shift the tide in Ukraine.
“We’re really not talking about something that’ll have an impact on the battlefield,” the official said of long-range strike missiles.
ABC's Michelle Stoddart and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.
