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Watch as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the European House-Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio, Italy, an annual conference that gathers business and political leaders at the end of the summer.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cautioned on Friday 6 September there was “no one capability” that would turn the war in Ukraine in Kyiv’s favour after President Zelensky urged the West to let his forces use its long-range weapons to strike Russia.
At a regular meeting of Ukraine’s allies at Ramstein US Air Base in Germany, the Ukrainian president repeated his plea for Western nations to supply more long-range missiles and lift restrictions on using them to hit targets such as airfields inside Russia.
Mr Austin said Washington and its allies would continue to give strong support to Ukraine in fighting Russia’s invasion, announcing another $250 million in US security assistance.
But, questioned by reporters, the Pentagon chief pushed back on the idea that allowing deep strikes inside Russia with Western weapons would be a game-changer.
He said Russia had already moved aircraft that launch glide bombs into Ukraine beyond the range of US-supplied ATACM missiles.
“There’s no one capability that will in and of itself be decisive in this campaign,” Mr Austin told reporters.
