Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy urged Western allies to expand Kyiv’s capacity to strike Russia during a meeting in London on October 24, 2025. The gathering included Zelenskiy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and Dutch and Danish leaders Dick Schoof and Mette Frederiksen.
Zelenskiy sought increased access to long-range weaponry following U.S. President Donald Trump’s rejection of Tomahawk missile sales. Despite Rutte’s assertion that Ukraine has the right to such arms, no formal commitment was announced. Starmer pledged to accelerate UK support for Kyiv, vowing to supply over 5,000 lightweight missiles.
Rutte emphasized that decisions on weapon deliveries remain with individual allies, reiterating that Ukraine can target “targets inside Russia” with long-range systems. Meanwhile, Dutch and Danish leaders endorsed new sanctions on Russian oil but avoided pledging additional military aid.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Western nations of escalating the conflict by supplying advanced weaponry, citing the need for NATO personnel to operate systems like Storm Shadow or Tomahawk missiles. Zelenskiy’s repeated requests for such arms have drawn warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who threatened an “overwhelming” response to any strikes on Russian soil.
