The U.S. and U.K. governments are discussing allowing Ukraine to deploy British cruise missiles backed by U.S. navigational data to conduct long-range strikes inside Russian territory, according to people familiar with the matter.

The issue is part of conversations that have taken place over the past few days as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks in London and Kyiv, the people said. The U.S. and U.K. this week signaled that they’re open to a request from Ukraine to bolster its ability to carry out deep strikes in Russia, and President Joe Biden is expected to discuss the possibility when Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the White House Friday.

As Kyiv pushes for more powerful Western weapons to hit military sites on Russian territory, officials have spoken about whether the White House could grant permission for Ukraine to use British Storm Shadow missiles in cross-border attacks, the people said.

Storm Shadows are precision-guided, air-launched missiles with a firing range in excess of 250 kilometers (155 miles). They fly close to the terrain at high speeds before reaching their targets, using a system combining so-called inertial navigation with Global Positioning System and terrain-reference navigation, according to a fact sheet on the website of their manufacturer MBDA.

The GPS system of satellite navigation is operated by the Pentagon, although it’s also used for public purposes such as online directions for drivers.

When used in complex operations, Storm Shadow missiles are often assisted by U.S.-provided data that helps them map terrain with a high level of accuracy, according to the people familiar, who spoke on condition of anonymity discussing operational details that aren’t public.

Zelenskyy pushing

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stepped up his lobbying to lift restrictions, which also pose as a stumbling block for using British weapons for long-range strikes. That’s being discussed, the people said, suggesting the U.S. and U.K. governments are weighing a number of ways to soften rules on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons.

Zelenskyy said he’ll discuss the matter further with Biden later this month in New York, where world leaders will gather for the United Nations General Assembly.

The U.S., which has placed restrictions on its hardware used in strikes within Russia, currently doesn’t permit its navigational data to be used. Biden’s administration has cited the risk of escalating the war against Russia.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against the move. He said Ukraine’s army would need help with mission programming from NATO specialists to launch long-range strikes.

That would mean “NATO countries — the United States, and European countries — are at war with Russia,” Putin said in St. Petersburg. As the “very essence of the conflict” shifts, Russia will “make appropriate decisions” based on new threats, he said.

Starmer’s view

The U.K.’s Starmer, responding to Putin’s comments, told reporters that “‘we don’t seek any conflict with Russia, that’s not our intention in the slightest. But they started this conflict, and Ukraine’s got a right to self-defense.”

Asked about the prospect of providing the Storm Shadow missiles, Starmer declined to talk about “particular capabilities.” He said many matters will be discussed with Biden “but this is not a series of individual decisions that we want to arrive at tomorrow” but rather than decisions made “are within the strategic context.”

At the Pentagon, spokesman Charlie Dietz said the U.S. military maintains a “close and ongoing dialogue with our allies, including the U.K., to ensure that any coordination on military capabilities aligns with our shared goals and international law.” He declined to comment on discussions over U.S. data.

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(With assistance from Ellen Milligan and Courtney McBride.)

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