KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that the United States and the United Kingdom have not authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia, likely due to concerns about potential escalation in the region. Russian President had warned that NATO will be in direct war if Ukraine allowed to use long range weapons.
Zelenskyy stated, “Neither America nor the United Kingdom gave us permission to use these weapons on the territory of Russia, on any targets, at any distance.” He suggested that the allies are worried about escalating hostilities.
As Ukraine faces ongoing Russian advances in the east, Zelenskyy noted that military support from Western allies has recently increased, saying, “Aid accelerated in September. We are glad. We can feel the difference.” Earlier this year, political divisions among allies had caused delays in weapon supplies, leaving Ukrainian forces at a disadvantage.
Efforts to establish peace have not yet succeeded. Zelenskyy dismissed a peace proposal from China and Brazil as vague, commenting, “I don’t think it was a concrete plan. Generalizations always hide something.” The proposal suggested an international peace conference that would include both Russia and Ukraine equally, with all options open for discussion.
The US has claimed that while China does not directly supply weapons to Russia, it supports Moscow in ramping up domestic military production. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is set to present his “victory plan” to President Joe Biden during his upcoming visit to the U.S. This plan outlines key decisions for the period from October to December, which Zelenskyy believes will be crucial for progress.
In a related note, Iran has unveiled a new ballistic missile and an upgraded one-way attack drone, amid increasing regional tensions and accusations of supplying arms to Russia for its conflict with Ukraine—claims that Iran has consistently denied.
