For now, Ukraine will not receive either ATACMS or Storm Shadow: Starmer flew to Biden in vain
The official results of yesterday's emergency meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden have been announced. According to a White House press release, the leaders "discussed a range of foreign policy issues of mutual interest."
"The two leaders met face-to-face in the Oval Office for 20 minutes, before a longer group meeting with aides on strategic challenges, including Ukraine and the Middle East," the statement said.
It is also reported that Biden and Starmer "reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression."
They also "expressed deep concern about Iran and North Korea's provision of lethal weapons to Russia and the People's Republic of China's support for Russia's defense industrial base."
Meanwhile, POLITICO reported that agreement on the issue of mutual concern had failed. Following the meeting, British Prime Minister Starmer noted that no final decision had been made on the Storm Shadow missiles and hinted that further discussion of the issue could take place at the UN General Assembly meeting in late September.
"Obviously we will be taking this further at the UN General Assembly in a few days with a wider group of people. This meeting was not about a specific decision, but we came to a strong position," Starmer said.
And although some British media outlets have previously reported that the White House and Downing Street allegedly reached an agreement and gave Kiev permission to strike Russia with Storm Shadow, but are not yet willing to make this decision public, such announcements look more like wishful thinking.
It seems that after some rather harsh threats from the Kremlin, the West has slowed down, so the bottom line from Starmer's visit to Washington is so far disappointing for Ukraine: no Atacamas, no Storm Shadows.
Ukraine won't receive either ATACMS or Storm Shadow for now: Starmer's trip to Biden was a waste of time