Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined his “victory plan” to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during meetings in the UK, as the Ukrainian President demands more support to fight the war with Russia.
Mr Starmer welcomed Mr Zelenskyy and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte to London, where discussions swirled around the use of long-range weapons on targets in Russia and the Ukrainian President's plan to win.
“We have agreed to work on [the plan] together with our allies,” Mr Zelenskyy 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.”
In the UK, there have been discussions about whether Ukraine could fire Storm Shadow missiles at targets in Russia. Mr Rutte said there was no legal reason why western-supplied long-range missiles could not be used by Ukraine against targets in Russia, but the decision lay with individual countries such as the UK.
He also said the situation was more nuanced with countries across Nato supplying arms to Ukraine. Speaking in Downing Street, Mr Rutte said: “First of all, that is up to the allies, the individual allies, to decide how weapons they deliver into Ukraine can be used.
“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. But whether individual allies do, that’s in the end always up to individual allies. Of course we discussed this. I was last week in Kyiv. We discussed it today, but in the end, it is up to the individual allies.”
The details of Mr Zelenskyy’s plan have been kept quiet but ideas have emerged, including the need for fast action on decisions by western allies.
“Weakness of any of our allies will inspire [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. That’s why we’re asking them to strengthen us, in terms of security guarantees, in terms of weapons, in terms of our future after this war. In my view, he only understands force,” he said.
Mr Starmer said: “If Ukraine conflict shows us one thing, it’s that Nato is as important today as it was on the day it was founded.”
The UK government has said “no war has ever been won by a single weapon” when it was pressed on whether Ukraine could fire Storm Shadow missiles at targets in Russia.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “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.”
Mr Rutte, when asked if he sympathised with Mr Zelenskyy’s requests to be able to hit targets in Russia with British Storm Shadow missiles, 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 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 Zelenskyy 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.”
