Britain will not help Ukraine hit targets in Russia - Defense Minister
Photo: British Defense Secretary John Healey (Getty Images)
The United Kingdom will not assist Ukraine in hitting targets in Russia. However, Britain may allow Ukraine to use the provided weapons for such attacks, according to British Defense Minister John Healey.
The Minister did not rule out the possibility of approving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request to use British-made missiles for strikes on Russian territory. However, Healey added that Britain will not be involved in such attacks.
“We’re providing weapons to Ukraine for their defense of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia, but that must be done by the Ukrainians. It must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law,” he added.
Healey made his statement a few hours before Zelenskyy was scheduled to address an emergency meeting of the British Cabinet. The Ukrainian President will be the first foreign guest at Downing Street since Keir Starmer became the new Prime Minister.
British media expect Zelenskyy to urge Britain to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles for attacks on Russia during the government meeting. He will also call on ministers to help build Europe's defense industrial base.
Background
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a visit to the UK. At the European Political Community summit, he called on allies to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons for strikes against Russia. The President emphasized that the airfields from which Russia attacks Ukraine must be destroyed.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Zelenskyy's request and also rejected the call to destroy Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine.
