Ukraine’s ambassador pleads with Sir Keir Starmer to let his country strike Russia with UK-made Storm Shadow missiles

UKRAINE’S ambassador yesterday pleaded with Sir Keir Starmer to let his country strike Russia.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi urged the PM to let UK-made Storm Shadow missiles be fired over the border.

He told Labour’s conference: “If Russia fires missiles at any targets in Ukraine it’s Ukraine’s right to respond in kind by hitting military targets within Russia. It’s the principle of self-defence.”

The Foreign Secretary refused to confirm if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will soon be given the go-ahead to fire Western weapons.

But Mr Lammy said: “I told Zelensky, this Labour Government will always stand with his courageous hope.

“We need to show Putin that Britain and its allies are not going anywhere which is why this Government has increased support to Ukraine, and we’ve committed £3bn a year in military aid as long as it takes.

He added: “We need to send another message to Vladimir Putin.

“Your interference in our democracy, promoting disinformation and encouraging disorder on our streets, encouraging kleptocrats to store their ill-gotten gains in our property market, must end.”

Earlier in the month, Mr Antony Blinken said the UK and the US would “look and listen” to Ukraine's request to lift restrictions on firing at Russia - which risked the wrath of Putin.

He was set to report back to Joe Biden and Sir Keir Starmer who were due to meet in Washington to discuss the matter.

The movement came after Ukraine blitzed Moscow with its biggest ever drone attack.