The Times: US and UK may grant Ukraine unofficial approval for strikes on Russia

The United States and the United Kingdom may grant Ukraine an unofficial green light to carry out deep strikes within Russian territory using long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, according to The Times.

Journalists note that British and American officials have been discussing the possibility of allowing Storm Shadow missile strikes for some time. The decision was initially expected to be announced during the joint visit of the two countries’ foreign ministers – Antony Blinken and David Lammy – to Kyiv last week.

Two versions of final statements were reportedly prepared, but due to some unresolved issues, the version focusing on further discussions about long-range Ukrainian strikes was announced instead.

According to The Times, the United States is holding back its approval until it receives a victory plan, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to present to President Joe Biden during their meeting next week.

Meanwhile, the British side is eager to create the impression that a broader group of NATO allies supports this decision. To that end, a meeting of foreign ministers from the US, UK, France, Germany, and Italy was organized in Paris.

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