Ukraine news: U.S. and British officials vow support for Kyiv

KYIV –

The top U.S. and British diplomats underscored their commitment to Ukraine in its war with Russia during a joint trip Wednesday to Kyiv as Ukrainian officials pressured the West to allow them to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted the visit came “in challenging times” as Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army bears down on towns and cities in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and pounds the country with long-range missiles, glide bombs and drones that claim numerous civilian casualties.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the 2 1/2-year conflict is at a “critical” juncture following Ukraine’s daring incursion last month into Russia’s Kursk region, even as it tries to defend against its neighbour’s aerial attacks on cities across the country.

“We convey the deepest condolences for the shocking attacks that we have seen, over the loss of civilian life, particularly women and children — horrific, barbaric unbelievable,” Lammy said.

He noted that Britain is setting aside three billion British pounds (US$3.9 billion) a year to help Ukraine.

A likely hard winter lies ahead for Ukraine, testing the country’s resolve. Ukraine’s power grid is under severe strain after Russian missiles and drones knocked out around 70 per cent of the country’s generation capacity.

Kyiv officials will also have to navigate the outcome of the U.S. election in November, which could produce important policy shifts in Washington. Former U.S. president Donald Trump said in a presidential debate Tuesday that he wants the war to end but didn’t clearly say he wants Ukraine to win.

The top U.S. and British diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland.

Blinken travelled from London, where he accused Iran of providing Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, calling the move a “dramatic escalation” of the war.

A key issue that has increasingly strained relations between Ukraine and it western partners is Kyiv’s repeated appeals for the West’s authorization to use long-range weapons from the United States and other allies to strike targets inside Russia.

That issue has become more urgent given Russia’s latest reported weapons acquisition but western leaders have balked at the possibility, fearing it will escalate the war.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told Lammy he hoped an agreement on using long-range equipment “for strikes on the territory of our enemy” could be reached. “We hope for your help and support in this issue.”

Shmyhal described the meeting with Lammy in Kyiv as “intense” but gave no other details in the post on his Telegram channel.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Shmyhal said that “if we are allowed to destroy military targets or weapons prepared by the enemy for attacks on Ukraine, it would certainly bring more safety for our civilians, our people, and our children.

“We are working towards this and will continue to push for it every day.”

Referring to the missiles from Iran, he added: “Russia’s use of weapons from its terrorist allies to strike at Ukraine continues their genocidal war and terrorism on our territory. We must be able to respond to such terrorism in kind by destroying military targets on their territory to ensure greater safety for our citizens.”

Wednesday’s visit comes ahead of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s upcoming trip to Washington, where he will meet U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday. Ukraine’s request for permission to strike Russian targets is due to feature in the discussion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also due to meet Biden during a visit to Washington later this month.

Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defence, but has largely limited the distance over concerns about further escalating the conflict.

The rare joint visit by the British and American top diplomats was, unusually, announced in advance — a public signal of U.S-.U.K. support for Ukraine ahead of what’s likely to be a brutal winter of Russian attacks.

Russian airstrikes, mostly aimed at crippling Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, have intensified in recent weeks with nightly missile and drone attacks.

As Blinken and Lammy arrived in Kyiv, the U.K. announced it was banning 10 commercial ships it accuses of illicitly transporting Russian oil in violation of international sanctions. The U.K. government said the vessels would be barred from British ports and could be detained if they enter.

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Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London and Derek Gatopoulos in Kyiv contributed to this report.