Zelenskiy drums up war plan support in London, Paris

October 10

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has, on a visit to London, stepped up pressure on the UK to grant Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets in Russia.

In three-way talks in Downing Street, the British prime minister, the Ukrainian president and NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte discussed the state of the war.

Zelenskiy presented them with his victory plan.

Mr Rutte said there was no legal reason preventing the use of Western-supplied weapons against targets within Russia, but decisions had to be made by individual states.

Following the talks in No 10, Mr Zelenskiy said: “The victory plan aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war”.

“I thank the United Kingdom for its continued defence support of our country, including with long-range weapons.”

Mr Zelenskiy has been pushing for permission to use Storm Shadow and other Western-supplied weapons to hit the Russian air bases and other military sites which are being used to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Mr Rutte said the Ukrainians would legally be allowed to do that in response to the Russian attacks.

“Legally that is possible because legally Ukraine is allowed to use its weapons, if they can hit targets in Russia, if these targets present a threat to Ukraine,” he said.

“But whether individual allies do, that’s in the end, (is) always up to individual allies.”

Asked if he sympathised with Ukraine’s complaints that it is having to fight with its hands tied behind its back as a result of the restrictions, Mr Rutte said: “Well, I think it is a bit more nuanced. because when you look at what the UK is doing, I think it is now £3 billion ($A5.8 billion) a year you guys are providing Ukraine with this military aid, with training.”

Other countries were also stepping up support, he added.

“The whole of the alliance is in this, and let’s not focus on one system, one weapon system, it will not be one weapon system which will make the change,” Mr Rutte said.

“So I understand what Zelenskiy is asking, but at the same time, he also agrees that there is a broader issue to be debated to make sure that they prevail.”

Downing Street also insisted that Storm Shadow alone would not be the key to Ukraine defeating Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The prime minister’s spokesman said: “no war had ever been won by a single weapon”.

“The discussions that the UK, Ukraine and international partners are having are about all the range of support that we can provide Ukraine heading into the crucial winter months ahead.”

Later in the day, No 10 would not be drawn into revealing if there were legal barriers to providing Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, or whether it was a solely political decision.

“We are not going to get into detail about individual systems or operational decisions given this would clearly be a gift to Putin.”

“The support that we provide is support for Ukraine’s clear right of self defence and to be used in accordance with international humanitarian law,” they said.

Meanwhile, Mr Rutte insisted he was not concerned about the possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House signalling a withdrawal of US support to Ukraine.

“I’m not worried about that because I’m absolutely convinced that the US is in this because they understand it is not only for Ukraine, but also for them, and that from Washington to San Francisco, the whole of the US would be less secure if Putin would be successful in Ukraine,” he said.

Later on Thursday, Zelenskiy arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

He’s also expected in Rome and Berlin this week.

A planned meeting with US President Joe Biden at Ramstein US military base in Germany was postponed after Biden decided to stay in the US to deal with the effects of Hurricane Milton.

with DPA

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