Pressure on Biden to let Ukraine strike Russia with US weapons

Russia has reacted angrily to the prospect of Western weapons being used against targets on Russian territory.

“In Europe, especially in small countries, they should be aware of what they are playing with,” Vladimir Putin said, noting that many European countries had “small territory” and a “dense population”.

The Russian leader added that responsibility for any strikes inside his country’s territory would lie with Western arms suppliers, even if Ukraine’s forces carried out the strikes.

Some Nato countries remain nervous about the prospect. On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she did not think it necessary to hit Russian military bases and urged the West to supply more air defences to Ukraine instead.

However, it is thought Ukraine has already used some Western-supplied weapons for attacks on Russian territory, although it has done so without fanfare.

Latvia’s foreign minister, Baiba Braze, told Ukrainian media that some countries had already provided weapons “without conditions” to Ukraine but that “not everything” was said aloud.

Other countries have been more forthcoming in giving Ukraine permission to use their weapons inside Russia.

The US has already supplied Ukraine with thousands of defensive weapons, tanks and air defence systems.

Since April, it has also sent Ukraine the longest-range version of ATACMS missiles, which can travel 190 miles (300km).