Blinken wraps up Ukraine-focused Europe trip in Poland amid arms request

US secretary of state Antony Blinken is wrapping up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia.

Mr Blinken travelled to Warsaw on Thursday after spending a day in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during which they pledged to bring the Ukrainian requests to their leaders.

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are to meet in the United States on Friday amid signs both Washington and London are growing more receptive to allowing the Ukrainians to use their arms to hit targets deeper inside Russia than previously approved.

On Wednesday, Mr Blinken and Mr Lammy announced that the United States and Britain had pledged nearly 1.5 billion dollars in additional aid to Ukraine during their visit to Kyiv.

Mr Blinken announced more than 700 million dollars in humanitarian aid, while Mr Lammy confirmed that his country would provide another 782 million dollars in assistance and loan guarantees.

Much of the effort was aimed at bolstering the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter.

Ukraine’s wish list is long and non-military assistance is certainly on it, but Ukrainian officials made clear their most important ask is for easing restrictions on where Western weapons can be used.

Air-raid sirens sounded repeatedly during the visit, causing delays in their schedule and forcing them to cancel a wreath-laying ceremony.

“Speaking for the United States, we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed. And I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this evolves,” Mr Blinken told a news conference.

His language was very similar to that which he used in May, shortly before the US green lit Ukrainian use of US weapons just inside Russian territory.

The diplomatic visit unfolded as Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army bears down on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and conducts aerial attacks on cities across the country using missiles, glide bombs and drones that claim many civilian casualties.

But relations between Ukraine and its Western partners have been increasingly strained by Kyiv’s repeated appeals for the West’s authorisation to use long-range weapons from the United States and other allies to strike targets deeper inside Russia.

That issue took on added urgency after Russia’s latest reported acquisition of ballistic missiles from Iran, but Western leaders have so far baulked at Ukraine’s request, fearing that, if granted, it could escalate the war.

Mr Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire US-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defence, but has largely limited the distance they can be fired.

Mr Zelensky said he hoped for changes to those limitations.

“Let’s count on some strong decisions, at least,” he said. “For us, it’s very important.”