6.53pm BST
Closing summary
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, held a press conference in Kyiv during which they denounced Russia’s “imperialism” in Ukraine and announced almost $1.5bn in further support for Ukraine.
Lammy described Russia’s actions in Ukraine as “fascism”, comparing it to his own ancestors’ experience of being enslaved. He said: “Putin’s barbaric actions are the latest example of a very old and evil story. One of my ancestors was taken from their home, enslaved, chained on a ship and forced to work for the profit of a foreign empire. He knew only too well what imperialism was … This is imperialism. This is fascism.”
Blinken said the $700m in extra aid for Ukraine was aimed at bolstering the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter. The $325m in energy support in the package will help repair and restore Ukraine’s power generation facilities, provide emergency backup power and strengthen the physical security of energy infrastructure. Some $290m will fund food, water, shelter, health care and education programs for Ukrainians in need in the country and refugees outside the country. The remaining $102m will be used for mine-removal activities.
Lammy confirmed that the UK would provide another $782m in assistance and loan guarantees.
Earlier in the day the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, called for “strong decisions” to be made as he reiterated his call for permission to use long-distance missiles in Russia. Concern about escalation has been one of the reasons why permission has not been given to Kyiv to use western long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia . But Blinken said escalation was “one of the factors that we always consider but it’s certainly not the only factor and it’s not necessarily a dispositive factor”.
Lammy said: “It is Putin who has escalated this week with the shipment of ballistic missiles from Iran and we’re seeing this new axis, Russia, Iran, North Korea. We urge China not to throw their lot in with this group of renegades.”
Three civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said Moscow will destroy any new deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine by the United States.
The Kremlin said today that it really did not like the way Vladimir Putin ’s name was bandied around in the US presidential debate.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, pushed back against western governments’ concerns a day after the US and others said Tehran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia. “Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period,” he wrote.
Updated at 7.34pm BST
6.32pm BST
Pressed on Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s call for “strong decisions” on the use of UK-supplied weapons in Russia, foreign secretary David Lammy said: “We’ve had detailed conversations today with president Zelensky.
“We recognise that Ukraine is on the frontline of the fight for freedom, and also that over these last few weeks, we have seen a tremendous loss of life of innocent men, women and children here in Ukraine.”
He added: “We are concerned about the attacks on Ukraine’s energy. We are concerned about these glide bombs. We are concerned about the drones.
“We’re very concerned about the escalatory action that we’re seeing from Iran, particularly.
“We’ve looked at the breadth of things today, and as we’ve said, of course, I go back to Keir Starmer, able to assist him with some of the operational detail that we’ve learned from the Ukrainians today - you wouldn’t expect me to go into detail about that at this press conference, because I am not prepared to give Putin the advantage.
“But as the closest of allies, we look forward to discussions we will have, not just on Friday, but discussions I suspect that will go on over the next few weeks as we head also to the UN general assembly.”
6.24pm BST
Lammy hailed what he described as a “Blitz spirit” he witnessed the last time he visited Ukraine
The foreign secretary praised “what we would call a Blitz spirit, evoking the second world war” on display during his last trip.
“It’s humbling, it’s moving to see people do all they can to prevent this Russian aggression,” he said.
Asked about Ukraine’s path to Nato, Lammy said: “Britain (is) supportive of Ukraine’s ambitions in relation to Nato and the security guarantees that they necessarily need.
“That’s why we worked very hard with our allies to get that irreversible pathway language into the text that we were able to agree back in July, just as the new Labour government came into power. And we will continue of course to discuss these things with our allies.”
He said there was a “continued need to work with Ukraine on these fundamental reform issues that make its pathway to the European Union and to Nato more achievable in the medium term”.
6.15pm BST
Blinken and Lammy suggested Putin had already escalated the war by seeking missiles from Iran
Concern about escalation has been one of the reasons why permission has not been given to Kyiv to use western long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
But Blinken said: “Just speaking for the United States, from day one …. 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, as this evolves.”
Escalation was “one of the factors that we always consider but it’s certainly not the only factor and it’s not necessarily a dispositive factor”.
He added: “We’ve seen Russia now pursue and indeed escalate its attacks inside Ukraine, on civilians, on energy infrastructure, as well as on the Ukrainian military that’s defending its country.
“And we’ve now seen this action of Russia acquiring ballistic missiles from Iran, which will further empower their aggression in Ukraine. So if anyone is taking escalatory action, it would appear to be Mr Putin and Russia”
Lammy said: “It is Putin who has escalated this week with the shipment of ballistic missiles from Iran and we’re seeing this new axis, Russia, Iran, North Korea. We urge China not to throw their lot in with this group of renegades.”
Updated at 6.20pm BST
6.02pm BST
Updated at 6.06pm BST
5.58pm BST
Russia's actions in Ukraine are 'fascism', says Lammy
Lammy described Russia’s actions in Ukraine as “imperialism” and “fascism”, comparing it to his own ancestors’ experience of being enslaved.
He told a press conference in Kyiv: “Putin’s barbaric actions are the latest example of a very old and evil story.
“One of my ancestors was taken from their home, enslaved, chained on a ship and forced to work for the profit of a foreign empire. He knew only too well what imperialism was.
“No act of authoritarianism is ever exactly the same, but 80 years after Stalin deported the Crimean Tartars, 240 years after Catherine the Great annexed Crimea, (Vladimir) Putin has revealed the same arrogance, the same greed and the same disdain for the rights of others individuals and nations.
“This is imperialism. This is fascism.
“And this week we have been reminded of how other authoritarian regimes are aiding Putin with Iran going even further in support for Moscow by providing ballistic missiles, a significant and dangerous escalation.”
Updated at 6.00pm BST
5.50pm BST
Blinken announces $700m in support for Ukraine
Antony Blinken announced more than $700 million in aid for Ukraine, aiming to bolster the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter.
The $325m in energy support in the package will help repair and restore Ukraine’s power generation facilities, provide emergency backup power and strengthen the physical security of energy infrastructure.
Some $290m will fund food, water, shelter, health care and education programs for Ukrainians in need in the country and refugees outside the country. The remaining $102m will be used for mine-removal activities.
Updated at 5.51pm BST
5.45pm BST
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha urged the UK and US to lift restrictions on the use of weapons against targets in Russia at a press conference alongside David Lammy and Antony Blinken.
According to a BBC interpreter he thanked the western allies for their support but added: “The main thing is to remove all the barriers on using the US and UK weaponry against Russia.
“It will bring the just peace closer.”
5.20pm BST
Blinken and Lammy set to hold joint press conference in Kyiv
US secretary of state Antony Blinken and the British foreign secretary David Lammy are due to hold a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, imminently.
We will bring you all the latest lines from that, amid the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s calls for western curbs on long-range missile strikes inside Russia to be lifted.
The Anglo-French Storm Shadow and US Atacms missiles have a range of 190 miles plus. More on that once the news conference begins.
5.04pm BST
Antony Blinken and David Lammy’s joint trip to Kyiv, to be followed by Keir Starmer’s trip to Washington DC to see Joe Biden on Friday, has inevitably lifted expectations that Ukraine will shortly be given permission to fire Anglo-French Storm Shadow and US Atacms missiles with their 190-mile-plus range into Russia.
There are no shortage of risks. Allowing Ukraine to fire western-made weapons deep into Russia could have a dramatic political impact on the course of a war mired in a grim, attritional slog that appears to be favouring Moscow, its forces bearing down on the strategic town of Pokrovsk .
Blinken and Lammy provided a potential justification for the missile escalation on Tuesday, calling out Iran for supplying a first batch of short-range, high-speed Fath-360 ballistic missiles to Russia, a step up from the slower Shahed drones it had given Moscow until now. Russia was likely to use the missiles “within weeks”, Blinken warned.
The Fath-360 missiles have a range of about 75 miles, according to the US. They could be used to strike Ukrainian cities close to the frontline such as Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia; Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the Donbas, and even theoretically Kyiv, and allow Russian to use its own stock of longer-range cruise and ballistic missiles to attack targets elsewhere in Ukraine, as it has done relentlessly throughout the war.
The missile war in Ukraine may appear unceasing but it follows its own logic of inventories, with Russia’s goal being to exhaust Ukraine’s air defences. Kyiv has already run out of short-range Buk and S-300 systems, which left its power stations defenceless earlier this year. Ukrainian sources estimate that about two-thirds of its energy generation has been destroyed, and it will not be possible to repair more than a tiny fraction before what is likely to be the country’s hardest winter since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion.
Related: West’s missile go-ahead to Ukraine would hold no shortage of risks
4.42pm BST
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow should consider limiting exports of uranium, titanium and nickel in retaliation against the West.
In televised comments to government ministers, he said such restrictions could also be introduced for other commodities, and noted that Russia was a major producer of natural gas, diamonds and gold, Reuters reported.
But he said that measures did not need to be taken “tomorrow”, and must not cause damage to Russia itself.
“Please take a look at some of the types of goods that we supply to the world market … maybe we should think about certain restrictions – uranium, titanium, nickel,” Putin told prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.
“We just mustn’t do anything to harm ourselves,” he added.
Russia is the world’s fourth largest uranium producer, according to the World Nuclear Association’s data.
4.28pm BST
An air raid siren could be heard across the centre of Kyiv just moments before the British foreign secretary was due to appear at his next location.
A nearby local photographer told the press pack: “I’ve heard it many times. I hear it every day.”
People continued to go about their daily lives until the siren stopped a couple of minutes later, PA Media reported.
4.07pm BST
Summary of the day thus far
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken , and the British foreign secretary, David Lammy , have arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian leaders.
“We must stand up to Vladimir Putin’s imperialism,” Lammy said in a social media post. “Our collective security depends on it,” he added.
During the visit, Lammy said the west is “listening carefully” to Ukraine’s needs.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy , called for “strong decisions” to be made as he reiterated his call for permission to use long-distance missiles in Russia.
Three civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said Moscow will destroy any new deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine by the United States.
The Kremlin said today that it really did not like the way Vladimir Putin ’s name was bandied around in the U.S. presidential debate.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi , pushed back against western governments’ concerns a day after the US and others said Tehran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia. “Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period,” he wrote.
Updated at 4.27pm BST
3.57pm BST
Speaking at the 4th Crimea Platform, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken , said today:
In Crimea – and in all of Ukraine – Ukrainians fight for the inalienable right of people to choose their own future, and to have their human rights respected. They fight for the right of nations to have their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, their independence respected – principles at the very heart of the United Nations Charter.
And when the United States and so many other partners stand with Ukraine, we not only help affirm those rights for Ukrainians, we help affirm them for all nations – and for all people.
That’s why we are proud to join Ukraine in reaffirming, today and every day: Crimea is Ukraine.
3.39pm BST
David Lammy also said the west is “listening carefully” to Ukraine’s needs, the PA news agency reported.
Lammy said he and his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, were to “listen to Ukraine, to speak to President Zelenskiy, to hear and understand the strategy”.
When asked if the UK would allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia, Lammy said:
We’re here to listen, to understand the plan, to understand the strategy and understand the needs across a whole range of fronts.
Yes, of course, equipment but of course energy that has been sabotaged, the support that’s needed on the humanitarian front over these next few months and how we continue to mobilise the international community on Ukraine’s behalf.
So we are listening carefully and, of course, we are having discussions on a range of issues including the military equipment that Ukraine needs to win.
3.36pm BST
Lammy pledges £600m in Ukraine support from UK
David Lammy , the British foreign secretary, has announced more than 600 million pounds of support for Ukraine, Reuters reported.
The UK is set to provide 242 million pounds of funding and 484 million pounds in loan guarantees.
The UK government is set to provide hundreds of additional air defence missiles, tens of thousands of additional artillery ammunition rounds and more armoured vehicles, to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year.
Updated at 4.09pm BST
3.34pm BST
Zelenskiy calls on UK and US to make 'strong decisions' as he seeks permission to use long range weapons deep inside Russia
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy , has called for “strong decisions” to be made as he reiterated his call for permission to use long-distance missiles in Russia, the PA news agency reported.
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken , and the British foreign secretary, David Lammy , are in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian leaders today.
Zelenskiy said:
I will have a little bit later a talk with him (Blinken) and minister of foreign affairs for the UK. I don’t know all the details of our conversation. I will be ready to be open and honest after these consultations.
If I am optimistic about their decision to give us permission to use long distance, it is a pity it doesn’t depend on my optimism. It depends on their optimism. Let’s count on some strong decisions on this.
For us it is very important for today. Anyway, I will tell you after the meeting and anyway I am counting on my dialogue with President (Joe) Biden this month.
He also said a “victory plan” he wants to present to Joe Biden this month would strengthen Kyiv.
“If partners support it (the plan), it will make it easier for Ukraine to force Russia to end the war,” the Ukrainian president said, Reuters reported.
“What is this plan for? It is a serious strengthening of Ukraine and, in my opinion, it will have both psychological and political... influence on Russia’s decision to end this war.”
Updated at 3.53pm BST
2.55pm BST
Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed “that France continues to stand resolutely with Ukraine and its people in defense of their territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
2.51pm BST
Three civilians killed in eastern Ukraine
Three civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine, Ukrinform reported .
“Another strike on Kostiantynivka today — one killed and five wounded. Thus, today, the Russians have already killed three people and injured five in two strikes on the city,” Vadym Filashkin , the Donetsk governor, wrote on social media.
2.31pm BST
Russia could 'combine potential' with China in face of aggression, Kremlin's foreign ministry says
The spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova , said today that Russia’s partnership with China is not aimed against third countries, but that Moscow and Beijing could “combine their potential” if faced with aggression, Reuters reported.
Updated at 2.36pm BST
2.01pm BST
The UK government has called for Russia to re-engage with the Forum for Security cooperation (OSCE) and to end its war in Ukraine.
In a speech in Vienna, the UK’s politico-military counsellor at the UK delegation to the OSCE Ankur Narayan said:
Russia claims that it wants peace. Peace is in its gift – by withdrawing all of its forces to outside of Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. Russia claims that it is serious about dialogue and risk reduction. If that is true, it must re-engage seriously and professionally with an OSCE that meets, as mandated by our ministers, each week.
1.30pm BST
Russia’s RIA state news agency has said that Russian forces overflew the Barents and Norwegian seas with Tu-160 strategic bomber planes as part of naval exercises.
Reuters reports that the exercises are believed to be the largest since the Soviet era, and include more than 90,000 service personnel.
1.12pm BST
“We must stand up to Vladimir Putin’s imperialism,” David Lammy , the British foreign secretary, said in a social media post as he visits Kyiv.
“Our collective security depends on it,” he said.
1.10pm BST
Denys Shmyhal , the Ukrainian prime minister, said he thanked the British foreign secretary, David Lammy , for a new military aid package and support for Ukraine’s energy sector.
“We also spoke about the supply of air defence systems to Ukraine and the situation in the energy sector. Thanks to the help of our partners, we are rebuilding what was destroyed by Russia. We are grateful to the UK Government and the British people for their strong and unwavering support for,” he added.
12.30pm BST
Gitanas Nausėda , the Lithuanian president, has opened a defence industry forum in Kyiv.
“Employment in the defence industry is growing, and high-tech & engineering are helping develop modern battlefield solutions,” he said.
12.06pm BST
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi , has pushed back against western governments’ concerns a day after the US and others said Tehran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia.
“Iran has NOT delivered ballistic missiles to Russia. Period,” he wrote, adding: “Sanction addicts should ask themselves: how is Iran able to make & supposedly sell sophisticated arms?”
11.34am BST
Russia will destroy deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles by US, Kremlin claims
Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has said Moscow will destroy any new deliveries of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine by the United States, Reuters reported citing the state TASS news agency.
Updated at 12.32pm BST
11.21am BST
The State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller , said “the U.S. and UK stand united with Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and freedom.”
11.07am BST
'Leave our president’s name alone': Kremlin says US candidates should leave Putin out of domestic politics
The Kremlin said today that it really did not like the way Vladimir Putin ’s name was bandied around in the U.S. presidential debate, Reuters reported.
Dmitry Peskov , the Kremlin spokesperson, said:
Of course, we noticed that both candidates mentioned our president, mentioned our country. Of course, the position is quite clear - the U.S. as a whole, no matter which party the candidates are from, maintains a negative attitude, an unfriendly attitude towards our country.
He added:
Putin’s name is used as one of the instruments in the domestic political struggle in the U.S. We really, really don’t like it, and we hope that they will leave our president’s name alone.
Updated at 11.07am BST
10.53am BST
The Ukrainian prime minister, Denys Shmyhal , has asked the British foreign secretary, David Lammy , for long-range missiles to “strike on (the) territory of our enemy,” the PA news agency reported.
Shmyhal said:
We hope that long-range equipment for strikes on the territory of our enemy will be reached and we will have it.
We hope for your help and support in this issue.
10.42am BST
Also in Kyiv today: Latvia’s prime minister, Evika Siliņa .
10.38am BST
The UK has sanctioned 10 vessels used by Russia.
David Lammy , the British foreign secretary, has said that “Putin’s shadow fleet generates critical revenue for his war chest by avoiding sanctions and directly funding his illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
“We will continue to stand firm with Ukraine and build a more secure and prosperous Europe,” he added.
10.02am BST
Here are the first images of Blinken and Lammy arriving in Kyiv.
9.50am BST
Andrii Sybiha , the new Ukrainian foreign minister, also touched upon the issue of targets in Russia in a conversation with the Nato secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg .
“I once again underscored the vital need for Ukraine to be able to use available weapons against legitimate military targets in Russia without restrictions,” he said.
9.48am BST
In Kyiv, politicians are hoping for a shift in US policy.
9.47am BST
Antony Blinken and David Lammy arrive in Kyiv
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken , and the British foreign secretary, David Lammy , have arrived in Kyiv today for talks with Ukrainian leaders.
Ukraine has been pushing its partners to speed up assistance and to allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons deep inside Russia.
Ahead of the trip, Blinken and Lammy raised concerns about Russia receiving ballistic missiles from Iran,.
“Iran’s provision of ballistic missiles in direct support of Russia’s war against Ukraine is a threat to European and global security,” Blinken said.
Updated at 10.06am BST
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