[Source: BBC]

Russia “started” the conflict in Ukraine and can end it “straight away”, Sir Keir Starmer has said after Vladimir Putin suggested Moscow would regard Western missiles being fired into Russia as a serious escalation of the war.

The PM is in Washington for talks with US President Joe Biden on Friday, as allies of Kyiv discuss giving Ukraine permission to fire their missiles at targets inside Russia.

Putin told Russian state television that this would “mean nothing other than the direct participation of Nato countries – the US and European countries – in the war in Ukraine.

Asked for his response to the remarks on his flight to Washington, the prime minister struck a robust tone repeatedly stating that Russia had started the war.

The prime minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy are on a blitz of international diplomacy, as Ukraine’s allies discuss how to respond to Iran stepping up its support for Russia.

Lammy told the BBC this “clearly changes the debate” as he visited Kyiv alongside the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

On Sunday, the day after the prime minister returns from Washington, he will fly to Rome to meet the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni.

Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group of industrialised countries.

A week later world leaders will gather in New York for the annual UN General Assembly.

There has long been a hesitancy to allow Ukraine to fire Western missiles into Russia, because of fears it could be seen as provocative and draw the US, European countries and others directly into the conflict.

But with winter approaching and Russia getting extra support from Iran, minds appear to be changing.

When asked about the prospect of allowing the Anglo-French cruise missile called Storm Shadow to be used, the public remarks of senior figures remain guarded.

He noted that both Blinken and Lammy had recently visited Ukraine.

Speaking earlier in the day, Putin said: “This isn’t about allowing or banning the Kyiv regime from striking Russian territory. It does that already with drones and by other means.

This is the prime minister’s second visit to Washington in a little over two months, having travelled here in July for the Nato Summit and a visit to the White House, shortly after winning the general election.

Sir Keir said he would not be meeting the vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the visit.