Sir Keir Starmer says Russia can end war now as Putin warns NATO over Ukraine's use of shadow missiles

12 September 2024, 23:57

Sir Keir Starmer has said Russia started the Ukraine war and "could end the conflict straight away" following Vladmir Putin's warning to Nato over Ukraine's use of long-range missiles.

The prime minister is heading to Washington DC for talks with President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday over the ongoing conflict.

There are currently strong indications the US and UK are poised to lift existing restrictions limiting the use of shadow missiles in Ukraine.

Putin warned the use of such missiles by Kyiv will be seen as an 'act of war' by Moscow but the PM said the UK does not "seek any conflict with Russia".

Responding to Putin's remarks, Sir Keir told reporters on the flight to the US: "Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away.

"Ukraine has the right to self-defence and we've obviously been absolutely fully supportive of Ukraine's right to self-defence - we're providing training capability."

The Russian leader had told reporters the use of the UK-made missiles would "change the very nature of the conflict" on Thursday, before issuing a harsh warning to the Ukrainian president.

"It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia," he told state media.

This comes following a meeting the US and British foreign ministers and President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday amid the reports he'll be given a green light from the West to use the long-range missiles against targets inside Russia.

Sergei Markov Former adviser to Vladamir Putin

Speaking with LBC, former adviser to President Putin, Sergei Markov, told Tonight with Andrew Marr that the Russian leader would be prepared to strike airfields in NATO countries if Storm Shadow missiles are used by Ukraine.

"Russia will strike the airfields where the F16s are based," he said, pointing to the fighter jets used to launch the Anglo-French missiles.

"Not in Ukraine, but in airfields in Romania and Poland," he confirmed.

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Speaking on Thursday, Putin told the media that if Ukraine uses the missiles, "then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face."

Starmer's trip to the US comes following further pressure from Zelensky on the West to give him more firepower - as Ukraine continued its advance into Russian territory.

It followed a series of rocket attacks by Russia on Thursday, with three Red Cross workers killed in a missile strike.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US secretary of state Antony Blinken held talks with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv earlier this week as Ukraine continued to appeal to the two countries - especially given American intelligence that Russia had received a shipment of weapons from Iran.

While neither politician would reveal any decision, both Mr Lammy and Mr Blinken confirmed they would pass on the message to their respective leaders before they met at the end of the week.