London, Thanasis Gavos

The commitment to continue supporting it Ukrainian the US and UK foreign ministers gave at a joint press conference in Kiev, after a day of contacts with Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky.

Messrs. Anthony Blinken and David Lammy were pressed again today by the officials they met with to allow the Ukrainians to use US and British weapons to strike inside Russian territory. The request was repeated at the press conference by the new Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Shibiga.

Although they refrained from making any public commitments, the two Western ministers emphasized the risk posed by Iran’s supply of ballistic missiles to Russia.

The supply of Iranian missiles to Russia “changes the conversation” said Mr. Lamiin yet another indication that the possibility of meeting the Ukrainians’ request is now being strongly discussed.

At the press conference, he described the Iranian move as a “significant and dangerous escalation”. Mr Blinken added that the US was “working with urgency” to ensure Ukraine “has what it needs to defend itself effectively”.

Both referred to the meeting that Joe Biden and Keir Starmer will have on Friday at the White House.

Britain has sent missiles Storm Shadow in Kiev, which have a range of 250 km. So far, however, they have only been used for attacks against Russian forces in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Mr. Blinken emphasized that the US and its allies want a victory for Ukraine. “We are fully committed to continuing to muster the support Ukraine needs so that its brave defenders and citizens can achieve just that,” he added.

Both ministers announced additional economic and military support to Ukraine. Among other things, the US will give 700 million dollars for infrastructure and humanitarian aid and the United Kingdom 600 million pounds in money and loan guarantees from the World Bank.