Long-range missiles are not a “silver bullet” to ensuring Vladimir Putin is defeated on the battlefield, a Ukrainian MP warned.
Joe Biden finally gave his permission for Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to reach targets within Russia’s borders on Sunday night, after months of pressure from Kyiv.
The US previously feared such a move would drag the west into direct conflict with Moscow.
However, on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, Ukrainian MP Mariia Ionova said more still needed to be done to ensure her country was victorious against Putin.
She said: “Missiles are not the silver bullet against our common enemies, and that is why we are asking all our friends that we need a change in strategy, because our enemies are united and we should stand together as well.
“When we are talking about this permission [to use long-range missiles], yes, we appreciate it, but that [alone] will not bring a victory.
″[We need] an air shield over Ukraine, more training, more western military instructors in Ukraine, more sanctions, and also more secondary sanctions.”
She continued: “And I think also we should be, and our friends’ leaders should be, more creative, more brave.
“Do not exclude anything. Do not postpone. We understand the procedures in democratic societies, but for us, time is human lives.”
Her plea comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for further help on social media.
He wrote: “We still haven’t received all the necessary systems from our allies—but we continue to work toward that goal. Once these systems are in place, our ability to repel attacks will be much stronger.”
The UK and France are yet to officially confirm the use of shadow storm missiles, which have a range of 155 miles, now Biden has given the go-ahead for US long-range weapons, which can travel up to 190 miles.