Vladimir Putin has issued an ominous warning over suggestions Ukraine may be given permission to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles.
Such a development, the Russian president said, would put NATO “at war” with Russia.
He insisted it would “significantly change” the nature of the Ukraine conflict and amount to “nothing less than direct involvement of NATO countries”.
Sir Keir Starmer, who is in the US for a meeting with Joe Biden, insisted that the UK was not “seeking conflict” and that Ukraine was allowed to defend itself against a war started by Russia.
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.
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”. (SkyNews)