AFP Videos – France
Biden, Starmer discuss long-range missiles for Ukraine
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is due to discuss with US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday whether kyiv should be allowed to use long-range missiles against Russia, ahead of a US presidential election with considerable stakes for Ukraine. Kiev has been demanding that its allies lift restrictions to allow it to strike deep into Russian territory what it considers “legitimate” military targets, such as airbases from which planes bombing Ukraine take off. But Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with longer-range missiles would mean that “NATO countries are at war with Russia”. According to British media reports, Biden, who fears a nuclear conflict, is prepared to allow Ukraine to deploy British and French missiles using US technology, but not the US missiles themselves. The talks come at a tense time, in the middle of the US presidential campaign. In a debate this week against his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, Republican candidate Donald Trump repeatedly refused to say he hoped Kiev would win the war against Russia. “I want the war to stop,” he said. During this visit, his second to Washington since taking office in July, Keir Starmer is due to meet Joe Biden in the Oval Office at 4:30 p.m. (2030 GMT). “These are strategic meetings to discuss Ukraine and the Middle East,” the British leader said on Thursday. Last week, Starmer’s government announced the suspension of around 30 of Israel’s 350 arms export licenses, saying there was “a risk” that they would be used in violation of international humanitarian law in Gaza. Israel’s main military backer, the United States, has refused to criticize London’s decision. But according to the American media outlet Politico, Washington asked London what it would take to change its decision. The answer: a ceasefire in Gaza. – “Defend ourselves effectively” – But it is Ukraine that will remain at the center of the discussions. On Tuesday, Joe Biden assured that the United States was “working” to authorize Ukraine to use longer-range missiles against Russia. The heads of American and British diplomacy, Antony Blinken and David Lammy, made a rare joint visit to Kiev on Wednesday. “We will adapt if necessary, particularly with regard to the means at Ukraine’s disposal to defend itself effectively against Russian aggression,” said the American Secretary of State in Poland the following day. Washington currently authorizes kyiv to strike only Russian targets in the occupied parts of Ukraine and some in the Russian border regions directly linked to Moscow’s combat operations. But Vladimir Putin warned Western powers: “This would change the very nature of the conflict.” “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict immediately,” Keir Starmer reacted on the plane taking him to Washington, according to comments reported by British media. In this context of rising tensions, the Russian security service, the FSB, announced on Friday that it had withdrawn the accreditation of six diplomats from the British embassy in Moscow, suspected of espionage. Joe Biden has strongly supported Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022, to the tune of billions of dollars in aid. But he has been reluctant to speed up arms deliveries, as Ukraine has had to wait this year to receive F-16 jets. With the US election looming, the clock is ticking for kyiv, faced with the possibility of a victory for Donald Trump, who is neck and neck in the polls with Kamala Harris. During the debate, the Republican candidate, who has often sung the praises of Vladimir Putin, pledged to conclude, if elected, a deal to end the war “even before” he officially becomes president. A deal that many Ukrainians fear will force them to accept that Russia will keep the conquered territories. Kamala Harris, for her part, has promised to continue to strongly support Ukraine, in line with her current administration.dk-mhc/cpy
