Davey says let Ukraine use Storm Shadows in Russia

Sir Ed Davey has said Ukraine should be allowed to use Western weapons to strike inside Russia, becoming the latest senior figure to urge a change of course from Sir Keir Starmer.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

After Boris Johnson and five former defence secretaries called for Kyiv to be allowed to use British-made Storm Shadows to strike Russian targets, the Liberal Democrat leader joined a growing chorus calling for a shift in stance.

Foreign secretary David Lammy said yesterday morning that talks are continuing with the US and allies about giving Kyiv permission to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to hit Russian airbases and military sites, which are being used to launch attacks on Ukraine. And he downplayed the importance of the Storm Shadow missiles, saying: “No war is won with any one weapon, that is the case.”

But speaking at the party’s autumn conference, Sir Ed said there are “difficult judgements” to be made. He told a Q&A session: “Fundamentally I have come to the view that we should allow President Zelensky and Ukraine to use those long-range weapons to attack Russian military bases in Russia.”

He said he was “not privy to all of the intelligence and the briefings”, and later added: “If we have to do it unilaterally I think we should.”