Ukraine has been using UK supplied Storm Shadow missiles against Russia<\/p>\n
Britain will not help Ukraine hit targets in Russia, the defence secretary has said, as Volodymyr Zelenskiy<\/a> appealed directly to the cabinet to use British-made weapons more freely.<\/p>\n John Healey did not rule out accepting the Ukrainian president\u2019s request to use British-made missiles against Russian territory, but added that Britain would not be involved in any such attacks.<\/p>\n Healey was speaking hours before Zelenskiy spoke at an extraordinary meeting of the British cabinet on Friday, the first foreign leader to do so in nearly 30 years.<\/p>\n The defence secretary told BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today programme: \u201cWe\u2019re providing weapons to Ukraine<\/a> for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia, but that must be done by the Ukrainians. It must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law.\u201d<\/p>\n Keir Starmer had previously indicated Ukraine would be able to use the Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Russia, but only for \u201cdefensive\u201d purposes. The prime minister said last week<\/a>: \u201cIt is for defensive purposes, but it is for Ukraine to decide how to deploy it for those defensive purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n Zelenskiy spoke to the cabinet on Friday to appeal to ministers to use Storm Shadow missiles against Russian targets. He also urged ministers to help build up Europe\u2019s defence industrial base, as leaders around the world adjust to the possibility of a second, more isolationist, Trump administration.<\/p>\n Downing Street said afterwards British ministers had \u201creaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine on all fronts \u2013 from military and financial support, to ensuring that Ukrainians living here are supported and feel Britain\u2019s central message that we are all united behind them\u201d.<\/p>\n Officials added that in a separate conversation, Starmer and Zelenskiy had discussed making sure western weapons reached the Ukrainian frontlines as soon as possible. Zelenskiy told the BBC on Thursday night Ukraine had still not received F-16 fighter jets, despite them having been promised 18 months ago.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian president also said he believed Starmer would remain as committed to his country\u2019s cause as the previous government had been.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think Britain\u2019s position would change,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I would like for Prime Minister Starmer to become special \u2013 speaking about international politics, about defending world security, about the war in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n