WAR SUMMIT
Joe Biden makes Putin boast as he holds crunch talks with Sir Keir Starmer on use of British missiles in Ukraine war
Ukrainian President Zelensky has heaped pressure on the West to unleash their firepower
JOE Biden boasted he "doesn't think much about Vladimir Putin" just hours after the Kremlin tyrant threatened World War Three.
Asked about the threat of escalation, he warned journalists to “be quiet”.
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The grouchy outgoing US president was speaking during a crunch summit with Sir Keir Starmer at the White House over whether to allow Western missiles to strike Russia.
Mr Biden gave a short statement in the White House’s Blue Room where he brushed off questions about the potential game changer to the two and a half year conflict.
Sir Keir Starmer said he believed the UK and US are “strategically aligned” as they began discussions about the conflict in Ukraine.
He also added that the next weeks and months will be “crucial” in Ukraine.
READ MORE ON UKRAINE WAR
The White House summit came as Russia kicked out six British diplomats as the Kremlin lashed out at the poised escalation in the bloody two and half year conflict.
The Foreign Office said the explosions last month over spying allegations were "completely baseless" as tensions heightened.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday heaped pressure on the West to unleash their firepower, saying "there should be no unanswered questions about why Ukraine needs sufficient long-range capabilities".
His pleas came after the PM publicly backed Ukraine's right to defend itself following the suggestion by Mad Vlad that Russia would be "at war" with Nato if the west is British Storm Shadow missiles rained down on his country.
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But the US President is widely seen as the last block on freeing Ukraine to strike Russia.
In his statement, Mr Zelensky said: "When we ask for these systems, we repeatedly hear, 'We are working on it'.
"Time passes, but Russian missiles and Iranian drones continue to terrorise our skies and our people.
";Our soldiers are showing incredible heroism, but they need reinforcements.
"These reinforcements mean equipped, ready-to-fight units in sufficient numbers to not only hold ground but regain it. We have been asking for this from our partners for months.
"I am grateful to those who made the commitments and are fulfilling them, but we are still far from fully implementing what has been agreed.
"It's difficult to repeatedly hear, 'We are working on this,' while Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages."
Mr Lammy and Mr Blinken were pressed on the use of Western weaponry during their visit to Ukraine earlier this week, but said they had to report back to their bosses, the Prime Minister and US President.
Watch rare cockpit footage of Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet blasting Russian drones out of the sky in daring night raid
Sir Keir said on Thursday that the UK does not "seek any conflict with Russia", before adding: "That's not our intention in the slightest."
Mr Putin said allowing long-range strikes "would mean that Nato countries, the United States, and European countries are at war with Russia... if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us".
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Continuing his statement, Mr Zelensky said: "Anyone who sees at a map where Russia launches its strikes from, trains its forces, keeps its reserves, locates its military facilities, and what logistics (it) uses clearly understands why Ukraine needs long-range capabilities.
"We discussed this with Secretary Blinken and Foreign Secretary Lammy during their visits.
"After our conversation, I believe there should be no unanswered questions about why Ukraine needs sufficient long-range capabilities.
"I want to emphasise the word 'sufficient' -not just enough to say that there is a decision, but enough to truly change the course of the war and compel Russia to seek peace."
He continued: "The war must become more difficult for Russia - that is the only way to make them realise it must end, and end fairly, based on international law.
"This requires strong decisions from the world. You all know what these decisions are.
"When we hear that missiles have arrived in Russia from Iran, it is the same evil that the allies had to shoot-down in the skies of the Middle East.
"Why am I speaking in such detail about weapons now?
"Because these details highlight the pressure we must apply to force Russia to seek peace.
"Putin only understands strength. Only the things that strengthen Ukraine's position.
"Only what makes the situation worse for Russia. Only the fact that the partners are actually taking the necessary steps, and not promising to consider what steps are needed from meeting to meeting, as if it is not clear."
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Last night Starmer insisted: "This wasn't a meeting about a particular capability. That wasn't why we got our heads down today.
He added: “We've had a very productive [meeting] and we've come to a strong position.”
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