Ukraine is facing its "worst winter" since the conflict with Russia began, Gordon Brown has warned, urging Britain and allies to press Donald Trump to bolster support for the nation. The former prime minister said the US president should be urged to let Ukraine produce Patriot interceptor missiles, explaining these could help defend the country from Russian bombardment. Brown said the war – which began when Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022 – is in a "critical moment", and recalled Trump previously "promised he would give the design for interceptors to Ukraine", but "hasn’t yet done so".
Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Friday, the former Labour leader said: "We’re at a very critical moment in this Ukraine war." Adding this "could be the worst winter" so far, he said: "Putin has realised he can bomb into populated areas and the infrastructure, put out the electricity, put out the power in Ukraine, by using his missiles and his bombs that cannot be intercepted because America is not providing the interceptors that are necessary." Trump reportedly claimed last month that it is a "hard thing to give away, that kind of technology". But Brown insisted: "I think we have got to press America to provide the kind of interceptors that they alone seem to have that could make a difference to the protection of Ukraine." He stressed, however, that the UK and Europe must remain "very careful" to avoid war with Russia. Brown said: "We have not declared war on Russia, Europe has not declared war on Russia.
"It is getting very dangerous, we do not want a war in Europe, we don’t want it to go beyond Ukraine, but what we have got to do is help Ukraine." Brown noted Andy Burnham was "right to give what he can to Ukraine". The Prime Minister, who visited Ukraine this week, announced the Government will share plans allowing Kyiv to manufacture its own models of Britain’s long-range Scalp missile. Brown warned this might "not make huge difference in the very short run" to the conflict.
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