Allies discuss how Ukraine can be given ‘decisive edge’ against Putin

The Ukrainian President has asked G7 allies including Britain to go further by supplying long-range missiles that could be used in deadly attacks.

Rishi Sunak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (PA/Ukraine) (PA Media)

Allies are discussing how Ukraine’s resistance against Vladimir Putin’s invasion can be accelerated by giving them a “decisive edge” to prevent a drawn out stalemate.

A Western official said on Wednesday that talks in the US are taking place on how equipment could help Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops “pre-empt” the Russian President’s attacks.

US President Joe Biden is widely expected to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine to help shoot down incoming missiles.

The Ukrainian President has asked G7 allies including Britain to go further by supplying long-range missiles that could be used in deadly attacks.

The Western official told journalists that there has not been a decision to “change the envelope of equipment that we’re giving to Ukraine” when asked about long-range missiles.

But they said: “There are a number of Americans in Congress and in the administration interested to look at the trajectory of the conflict and work out what it would take to give Ukraine a decisive edge without crossing over into an offensive against Russia.

“The alternative which is fundamentally to grind on as they are – that’s not attractive either.

“That’s work that’s going on in the US and with key Nato allies.”

The official said there are no “red lines” on what can be supplied to Ukraine, as Russian missiles bombard civilian infrastructure.

Instead they are keen to get Ukraine into a “better position faster” rather than being stuck in a “drawn out” conflict where more Ukrainians are forced to live without heating and power.

“Whether or not one would look at equipment that would enable the Ukrainians to preempt some of what the Russians might do, all these things are under consideration,” the official said.

“I think the envelope is anything short of attacks on Russian soil other than those that are directly engaged in the fighting in Ukraine.

“There’s a growing recognition that things may go on as they are for a very long time. There’s a question therefore in people’s minds about is there something that can be done without going outside the envelope I mentioned earlier to accelerate the Ukrainians getting to a better position.”

Mr Zelensky urged allies during a G7 meeting on Monday for long-range modern tanks, artillery and long-range missiles.

“The more effective we are with such weapons the shorter the Russian aggression will be,” he told them.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson called for the UK to supply Kyiv with long-range missiles to “bring the war to an end as soon as possible”.

But Downing Street said the weaponry currently being supplied to Ukraine is “for use in Ukraine to enable it to defend itself against the illegal invasion”.

“I’m not aware of any plans to alter that approach but obviously we keep these things under review,” he added.