President Joe Biden and Sir Keir Starmer recently met at the White House to discuss the escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with tensions rising over the use of long-range missiles in the war. The meeting was shadowed by nuclear threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin and desperate pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to use Storm Shadow weapons on Russian targets.
The talks were overshadowed by Putin’s expulsion of six UK diplomats, threats of war with NATO if the missiles were used, and Zelensky’s warning that delaying action was costing lives in Ukraine. Despite calls for the use of Storm Shadow missiles from the Ukrainian president and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, no final decision was made during the Biden-Starmer meeting.
Several experts warned against backing down to Russian aggression, while Zelensky urged for international support and access to air defense systems to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks. The UK and US have provided weapons to Ukraine but have not authorized the use of Storm Shadow missiles on Russian targets.
Even as diplomatic tensions heightened, former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West cautioned against giving in to Russian threats, emphasizing the need for careful and strategic decision-making. Critics of Putin dismissed his saber-rattling as bluster, with doubts about Russia’s actual capacity to engage in a war with NATO.
The meeting between Biden and Starmer, as well as ongoing discussions with Zelensky and other political leaders, highlight the complex and volatile situation in Eastern Europe, where the balance of power hangs on decisions made in the coming days and weeks.
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Photo credit www.independent.co.uk
