By Edward Wong
In an unusual joint overseas trip, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British counterpart David Lammy convened with Ukraine’s senior leadership in Kyiv on Wednesday to deliberate on strengthening the Ukrainian defense forces and evaluating the possibility of employing long-range missiles obtained from abroad to strike Russian territory.
Both Blinken and Lammy expressed that they had taken note of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s aspirations regarding the deployment of missiles supplied by the U.S. and the U.K. against Russian objectives far beyond the current conflict zone.
During a press conference, they conveyed their intent to relay the discussions to President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who would subsequently address the issue during their meeting in Washington on Friday.
The agenda for Wednesday’s discussions included “the conditions on the battlefield, Ukraine’s goals, and its requirements for future success,” Blinken stated, noting that the topic of long-range capabilities was included. “I intend to share this information with the president upon my return to Washington,” he remarked.
“From the very beginning, as I have repeatedly stated, we have adapted and modified our approach to meet evolving needs based on the changing battlefield,” he said.
Lammy affirmed that the officials had addressed the issue of Ukraine employing American and British long-range missiles to target Russia. “We engaged in comprehensive discussions today with President Zelenskyy,” he noted. “We acknowledge that Ukraine stands at the forefront of the battle for freedom.”
This meeting occurred at a time when the Biden administration faces challenges in limiting assistance to Russia from countries like Iran, North Korea, and China, while the impending U.S. presidential elections cast a shadow over the ongoing conflict.
Blinken hinted at concerns regarding the election during the press conference, as well as the implications for Ukrainian aid should Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, prevail in November.
“The ultimate goal is clear: We want Ukraine to prevail, and we are fully committed to rallying the necessary support,” he asserted. “The backing for Ukraine will persist, as it is not contingent on any single nation, party, or election.”
However, the U.S. remains the primary contributor of military aid to Ukraine. Blinken also announced new humanitarian and energy infrastructure support on Wednesday.
Two air raid sirens were heard in the evening: once during Blinken and Lammy’s meeting with Zelenskyy and again at the conclusion of their press conference at the foreign ministry.
After disembarking a private overnight train from Poland in the morning, the senior American and British diplomats engaged in discussions throughout the day with military and civilian officials, including Ukraine’s recently appointed foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, who was instated by Zelenskyy last Thursday amid a reshuffle of the country’s leadership.
Post 5 p.m., Zelenskyy, Sybiha, and four other Ukrainian representatives met with Blinken, Lammy, and their aides at the Mariyinsky Palace, the presidential residence.
Lammy noted that it has been over a decade since top diplomats from the U.S. and Britain traveled together. He added that both governments were resolute in addressing the challenges posed by Iran’s shipments of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, a claim made publicly by Blinken and Lammy in London on Tuesday.
At 6:15 local time, the first air raid siren of Blinken’s visit was activated, as Ukraine’s air force reported a missile threat approaching from the north.
Blinken’s stopover coincided with a busy schedule for Zelenskyy, who also welcomed leaders from Latvia, Lithuania, and Croatia for the annual Crimea Platform summit, aimed at addressing the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.
The initial debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris took place during the night as Blinken and Lammy traveled by train. Some passengers opted to stay awake to catch at least the start of the debate, whereas most sought online summaries the following morning.
Ukrainian officials were also monitoring the debate: Trump, known for his admiration towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, has garnered substantial support from Republican politicians opposing U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, while Harris has pledged to maintain support for the nation under siege. When asked during the debate whether he wanted Ukraine to win, Trump provided a lengthy response but notably did not explicitly state “yes.”
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian forces have achieved an unexpected advancement into the Russian region of Kursk, boosting morale within Ukraine. However, this offensive has not hindered Russian forces from their continued assault in eastern Ukraine, where incremental gains persist.
At the press conference, American and British journalists pressed Blinken and Lammy regarding appeals from Ukrainian representatives seeking permission for their military to employ missiles supplied by these nations for deeper assaults into Russian territory.
In May, the Biden administration granted Ukraine the authority to deploy U.S. armaments for shorter cross-border strikes against Russian positions utilized in their offensive against Kharkiv. Since then, U.S. officials have permitted the Ukrainian military similar attacks at other locations along the frontier.
On Tuesday, Lammy labeled Iran’s missile deliveries to Russia as a “significant escalation,” and during his time in Kyiv on Wednesday, he stated that Britain is joining the U.S. in levying sanctions against Iran and Russia. Iranian authorities have denied these allegations, and the Kremlin dismissed claims of receiving armaments from other countries on Wednesday.
Up to now, Iran has primarily supplied drones to Russia, while North Korea has been delivering artillery shells. The Biden administration has indicated that Chinese firms are exporting machinery and microelectronics essential for Russia’s arms production revival.
“We are witnessing the emergence of this new alliance: Russia, Iran, North Korea,” stated Lammy. “We are urging China not to align itself with this group of renegades.”
