Media: UK PM Starmer pressures Biden to green-light long-range weapons for Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated that he had tried to persuade the administration of the current US President Joe Biden, to allow the Ukrainian army to use Western long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.

His comments come against the backdrop of growing concerns about Trump’s election win, with governments worldwide scrambling to figure out how to navigate an incoming president who has proven to be unpredictable in the past, Caliber.Az reports per Bloomberg.

“I’ve always said that we support Ukraine for as long as it takes. I’ve also said on a number of occasions, we need to put Ukraine in the best possible position,” 

However, he refrained from directly addressing the issue of missiles.

The issue of Ukraine remains highly sensitive, especially as Trump has vowed to negotiate a swift end to Russia’s war, a stance that has raised concerns among Ukrainian officials and their allies about what kind of settlement he may seek. Starmer's comments reflect a cautious approach, acknowledging the complexities of the situation.

Thus, the upcoming diplomatic calendar is also expected to be shaped by Trump's return. Following his first election win in 2016, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set the precedent for engaging with the new president early, meeting with him in New York before his inauguration. 

This strategy is set to be repeated at upcoming international events such as the APEC summit in Peru and the G-20 in Brazil. Some leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Japanese politician Shigeru Ishiba, and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, are already seeking meetings with Trump to secure a diplomatic head start for the next four years.

However, Starmer seemed less eager to rush into similar engagements. “To be perfectly honest next week is a long way off just at the moment, but as far as I know we’re going straight there,” he remarked, seemingly focused on the immediate tasks at hand rather than preemptively forging ties with the incoming US president.

As world leaders brace for the unpredictable dynamics of Trump’s second presidency, Starmer's cautious, strategic approach to international relations continues to unfold.

By Aghakazim Guliyev