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The Biden administration's top diplomat is joining his British counterpart on a trip to Ukraine this week in a sign of transatlantic unity. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says they are going to listen to Ukrainian officials. What they are likely to hear are more calls to let Ukraine use Western weapons to hit military targets deep inside Russia, as NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Secretary Blinken calls this a critical time for Ukraine as it heads into a third winter of war. His new big worry is the support that Iran is giving to Russia. He cited U.S. intelligence that the Biden administration just declassified.
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ANTONY BLINKEN: Dozens of Russian military personnel have been trained in Iran to use the Fath-360 close-range ballistic missile system, which has a maximum range of 75 miles. Russia has now received shipments of these ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians.
KELEMEN: He says that means Russia can use more of its own long-range missiles for targets further from the front line.
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BLINKEN: It adds to their capacity, and it fuels the war.
KELEMEN: The U.S. believes Iran is getting something in return - Russian space and nuclear technology, though Blinken provided no details about that, and Iran dismissed the allegations as, quote, "ugly propaganda." A Kremlin spokesman calls Iran an important partner, but says not all American reports are correct. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke alongside Blinken in London, backing up the U.S. claims.
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DAVID LAMMY: We're seeing a disturbing pattern of greater Iranian support for the Kremlin's illegal war, and we discussed today our shared commitment to holding Tehran to account for their undermining of global stability.
KELEMEN: The U.K., France and Germany are now canceling bilateral air service agreements with Iran. The U.S. is also adding more sanctions on Iran. Ukraine, though, says sanctions are not enough. The president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, writes on Telegram that Ukraine needs permission to use Western weapons to strike deeper inside Russia. Ukraine is bracing for another tough winter and is trying to defend its critical infrastructure from Russian missile attacks. Secretary Blinken says the U.S. has adjusted and adapted its military aid to meet Ukraine's needs, and that's why he and his British counterpart will be in Kyiv Wednesday.
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BLINKEN: We're going to look and to listen and to make sure that we have our own best assessment of what's needed, what the objectives are that our Ukrainian partners have in the weeks and months ahead and how we can best support them.
KELEMEN: He says they will bring that back to their bosses, President Biden and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will meet at the White House on Friday. On the Middle East, Secretary Blinken was asked about an Israeli investigation into the killing of an American activist at a protest in the West Bank last week. Israel says Aysenur Eygi was likely killed by accident by Israeli troops aiming at someone else. Secretary Blinken says this shows that the Israelis need to fundamentally rethink their rules of engagement and the way they operate in the West Bank.
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BLINKEN: Her killing was both unprovoked and unjustified. No one should be shot and killed for attending a protest.
KELEMEN: The 26-year-old was the second American killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank in the past year. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the State Department. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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