Ukraine is being denied free use of its Storm Shadow missiles

Whether Nato members can bring themselves to authorise Ukrainian use of Storm Shadow missiles on targets inside Russia is becoming a litmus test of western support for Kyiv. The missiles have a range of up to 155 miles and could be used to hit air force bases from which Putin is launching devastating glide bomb attacks on Ukraine. To that end President Zelensky has asked the UK for explicit clearance to use them on Russian territory, which so far Keir Starmer has declined. His foreign secretary, David Lammy, says Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN charter, and “providing international law is followed, that does not rule out operations inside Russia”. But unequivocal permission requires agreement from the US, France and Italy, and the US says it’s “worried about escalation”.