Let Ukraine use Western weapons in Crimea, Defence Secretary urges Nato allies
The Defence Secretary has urged Germany and other allies to give Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky permission to use the weapons they supplied to strike targets in Crimea.
Grant Shapps said British-supplied munitions were already being used against Russian forces in the annexed region.
But although some allies have supplied Ukraine with long-range weapons, they have so far refused to let them be deployed there.
The UK has supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine and other allies have provided similar weapons.
Mr Shapps told Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: "The United Kingdom has been very forward-leaning about the way that our weapons are used.
"[This includes] – and other countries didn't initially do this, but then followed our lead – in Crimea, which we see as an integral part of Ukraine. The fact it was invaded by Putin in 2014 doesn't change that.
"I cannot go into decisions about how weapons are permissioned, but I can say this: Ukraine is in a fight for its survival. The United Kingdom has led the way.
"We are very helpful, therefore, to our Ukrainian friends and we encourage others to do the same.
"What I'd like to see is all of our partners, including Germany, who do have the facility to provide those longer-range weapons but don’t allow them to be used in Crimea – which is part of Ukraine – I think those are the things which would need to happen first."
The Russian Black Sea Fleet and targets in Crimea were targeted by Ukraine on Saturday night.
Pressed on Kyiv's calls for Western weapons to be available for strikes inside Russia, Mr Shapps told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "I can't go into the specifics of those private conversations about how the weapons are precisely used."
Mr Shapps said the delay in the US Congress approving an aid package had allowed Vladimir Putin's forces to mount an offensive around Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city.
But he said Russia would be unable to keep up such operations indefinitely.
He explained: "Putin, in many ways, is bluffing this war by putting his entire economy onto a war footing in a way that actually isn't sustainable for Russia over the years that he would have to continue it for. So, very important that the West does not blink.
"And when you see what's happened in Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine, it is because, I'm afraid, the civilised world took their eyes off the ball just for a little while, and we saw how long it took to get that package through the US Congress because of internal politics there, and this is the actual upshot.
"This is the result of waiting."
Mr Shapps also said he was "extremely concerned" about the burgeoning alliance between Mr Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Following Mr Putin's meeting with Mr Xi, Mr Shapps said: "Remember these are two countries that do not believe in democracy and Putin literally murders his opponents. That's his MO, that's how he operates.
"China doesn't share our values of freedom and democracy, their entire purpose is to keep the Communist Party in place.
"So, if you have that situation, and they're trying to spread their system to the rest of the world, we must see and have our eyes wide open that that is a direct threat to our way of life."
He added: "If we cherish our freedom, cherish our democracy, then we have to be concerned that they're linking together – and not just that Russia with Iran and using Iranian Shahed drones and the link to North Korea, buying North Korean weapons."
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