UK, US to Talk Russia-Strike Permissions for Kyiv
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in Washington for talks about whether to let Kyiv use long-range missiles against Russia, in what could be their last meeting ahead of a US election that could upend policy on Ukraine. Starmer is expected to meet US President Biden at the White House on Friday amid pleas from Ukraine to lift restrictions on the use of Western weaponry against Russian targets. Kyiv wants Washington and London to lift a restriction preventing the use of weaponry made in the US and UK, like Storm Shadow missiles, for long-range strikes inside Russia. The talks come with Biden on his way out of office and November’s US election on a knife-edge between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.
China Says Discussion is Only Way to Peace
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has said “negotiation” is the sole solution to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, as he addressed a global gathering of military officials in Beijing. Dong told the opening ceremony: “To resolve hotspot issues such as the crisis in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, promoting peace and negotiation is the only way out.” Russia and China have significantly increased military cooperation in recent years, with both railing against what they see as the US domination of global affairs.