In a meeting held at the White House on Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The leaders brushed off Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats regarding the use of British-supplied missiles by Ukraine against targets on Russian soil.

When asked about Putin's warning that such an act would put NATO countries "at war with Russia," President Biden asserted that he didn't think much about Putin. He further mentioned that the topic would be discussed during their meeting. Prime Minister Starmer revealed that no final decision had been made on the use of Storm Shadow missiles, and hinted at potential developments to be discussed at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

While Starmer denied that the meeting was solely focused on Ukraine's capabilities before the U.S. presidential election, he emphasized the importance of addressing significant potential developments in the next few weeks and months. The leaders held a one-to-one meeting before engaging in a longer group discussion with aides, tackling strategic challenges related to Ukraine and the Middle East.

Despite Putin's threats, Prime Minister Starmer did not rule out the possibility of Ukraine utilizing the Storm Shadow missiles. He emphasized that Russia had initiated the conflict by illegally invading Ukraine and had the power to end it immediately.

Officials from both sides emphasized that no decision regarding the missiles would be made during the meeting. The White House's National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby, reiterated that there was no change in policy concerning long-range strike capabilities inside Russia.

The pressure between Russia and Ukraine continued to mount, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing frustration at the ongoing attacks and questioning the progress made in resolving the conflict. In response, Moscow expelled six British diplomats, accusing them of spying. The U.K. denied the accusations and explained that the diplomats had lost their status prior to the current dispute.

Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson added to the pressure by meeting with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Johnson urged both the U.K. and the U.S. to allow Ukraine to use their long-range missiles against Russian targets, emphasizing the loss of Ukrainian lives.

The use of Storm Shadow missiles relies partly on U.S. technology, making President Biden's approval crucial to the process. Diplomatically, the U.K. government aims to present a united front and avoid any impression of a difference in opinion between the two allies.

While doubts remain regarding the potential impact of the Storm Shadow missiles in the war, President Zelenskyy believes that their sufficient use could alter the course of the conflict.

Prime Minister Starmer had sought this strategic meeting with President Biden for some time, following their initial encounter at the NATO summit in July. The U.K. prime minister also expressed a desire to meet both presidential candidates during his visit to Washington, but they were unavailable due to their campaign schedules.