The Russian president says it would “significantly change” the nature of the Ukraine conflict and amount to “nothing less than direct involvement of NATO countries”.
BBC News – Putin warns West it risks “fighting Russia” if it lets Ukraine use long-range missiles | BBC NewsPresident Vladimir Putin has warned that allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles would put NATO “at war” with Russia.
The Russian president said it would “significantly change” the nature of the Ukraine conflict and amount to “nothing less than direct involvement of NATO countries”.
Ukrainian officials have been pleading for months for permission to fire Western-supplied missiles, including long-range US ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, deep into Russian territory.
US President Joe Biden has limited the distance US-provided missiles can be fired across the border into Russia amid concerns over an escalation.
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Starmer says Russia started Ukraine war and ‘could end conflict straight away’
However, the issue took on added urgency after Iran recently supplied ballistic missiles to Russia, according to the US.
Speaking to Russian state television on Thursday, Mr Putin warned if Ukraine struck Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, “it will mean nothing less than the direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States and European countries in the war in Ukraine”.
He added: “This will be their direct participation, and this, of course, will significantly change the very essence, the very nature of the conflict.
“This will mean that NATO countries, US, European countries are at war with Russia.
“If this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us”.
Sky News – Blinken: US ‘not ruling out’ allowing Ukraine to hit Russia with long-range missiles | Ukraine warHe did not elaborate on what those decisions could be, but he has previously raised the option of arming the West’s enemies with Russian weapons to strike Western targets abroad and in June spoke of deploying missiles within striking distance of the United States and its European allies.
Responding to the Russian president’s remarks, Sir Keir Starmer backed Ukraine’s right to defend itself.
“Ukraine has the right to self-defence and we’ve obviously been absolutely fully supportive of Ukraine’s right to self-defence – we’re providing training capability, as you know,” the prime minister said.
“But we don’t seek any conflict with Russia – that’s not our intention in the slightest.
“But they started this conflict and Ukraine’s got a right to self-defence.”