US President Joe Biden plans to hold talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday, during which one of the main topics will be discussing the possibility of allowing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike Russia using long-range weapons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

According to Blinken, this discussion will concern not only military aid to Ukraine, but also the potential consequences for relations with Russia in the event of an escalation of the conflict. The use of long-range weapons transferred to Ukraine by Western countries, such as Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles, is already a subject of serious controversy in the international community, which is why Biden intends to agree on further steps with the British leadership.

The US and UK have long been key allies of Ukraine in arms sales, and both countries have repeatedly stressed that their goal is to help Kyiv defend its territory from Russian attacks. However, the use of long-range systems to strike targets deep inside Russia has raised concerns that it could further escalate the conflict and increase tensions in the region.