Despite the fact that they have given Ukraine hundreds of billions of dollars in military and civilian aid – and much of this aid was stolen by corrupt officials – American and British officials have to be continually lectured by President Volodymyr Zelensky on a regular basis.
Following yesterday’s (13) meeting between UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and feeble US President Joe Biden, there was no agreement on a deal to give Ukraine authorization to shoot long-range missiles deep into Russian territory.
Starmer and Biden held talks to discuss strategy on how to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, including whether to hand over Storm Shadow missiles to Zelensky.
Daily Mail reported:
“Disappointingly for both parties, John Kirby, a spokesman for the US national security council, announced afterwards that there would be ‘no change to our policy’ on letting Ukraine use long-range missiles.”
This development comes as Zelensky strenuously complained and accused the West of ’emboldening Putin’ by delaying the decision.
The Ukrainian leader went as far as questioning their commitment to Ukraine’s defense.
Despite his reaction, Starmer claimed his discussions with Biden were ‘long and productive’.
“It is believed that Biden was more resistant than Starmer to give the go-ahead, particularly as Putin warned the UK and the US that they would be ‘at war’ with Russia if they gave Ukraine the Storm Shadow missiles.
Questioned on what they had decided in relation to Ukraine’s potential use of long-range missiles, Sir Keir told reporters: ‘We had a wide-ranging discussion about strategy in Ukraine, of course, in the Middle East and other parts of the world. This wasn’t a meeting about a particular capability. That wasn’t why we got our heads down today. It was to allow ourselves the space, which we took, the time, which we took, to have a strategic discussion so that tactical decisions could be seen within the wider strategy.”
This comes as Moscow warned the UN that a green light for Kyiv to use long-range missiles to attack Russian territory would mean Nato would be a direct party to hostilities against a nuclear power.
Zelensky, in his most outspoken comments during the conflict, questioned whether Western politicians actually wanted Ukraine to win.
“He posted on X: ‘It is difficult to repeatedly hear, ’We are working on this’ while Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages. He doesn’t need anyone’s approval. Anyone who looks at a map clearly understands why Ukraine needs long-range capabilities. Russian logistics and military sites are safe because we cannot reach them. We know where they are located. All of this can be destroyed in months. So what is missing to end it? Strength? Decisions? Or the will?’”
And, that was not the only complaint by Zelensky, either. The Ukrainian leader also railed against the allies’ unwillingness to start shooting down Russian missiles and drones over the west of Ukraine.
Politico reported:
“’If the allies shoot down missiles together in the sky of the Middle East, why is there still no decision to shoot down drones and missiles over Ukraine? Even when those drones fly towards the EU’, Zelensky said during a conference organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in Kyiv.
‘When we raise this issue during the negotiations, the partners don’t even say they are working on it like they say about everything else … they just change the subject. They are scared to even tell us ’they are working on it’. And so far, only Belarus has been seen shooting down Russian drones’, Zelensky added, referring to Russian ally Minsk taking out some stray kamikaze drones.”
He pointed out what he sees as a ‘double standard’, as a wide coalition of Western countries began helping Israel to repel a massive Iranian attack of missiles and drones.
But Kyiv’s partners see shooting down missiles over Ukraine as ‘entering the war’ and potentially escalating the conflict with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
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