The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, said today that if the West allows Ukraine to launch long-range missile attacks on Russian territory, it would mean that "NATO countries are at war with Russia."

- If this decision is made, it would mean the direct involvement of NATO countries in the war in Ukraine and that would change the nature of the conflict, Putin said.

He added that "that would mean that NATO member states are at war against Russia."

US President Joe Biden said yesterday that his administration is "now deciding" whether the US will lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles in the war against Russia.

Unnamed sources said last week that the United States was close to an agreement to supply such weapons to Ukraine, but that Kiev would have to wait several months as the United States must resolve technical issues before any such delivery.

Other allies have been supplying weapons to Kiev, but with restrictions on how and when they can be used in Russia, out of concern that such attacks could trigger retaliation that would draw NATO countries into war or trigger a nuclear conflict.

The British newspaper "The Guardian", citing unnamed government sources, reported today that London has decided to allow Kiev to use the "Storm Shadow" missiles for targets in Russia.

The newspaper states that the British Government's decision will not be officially announced in the coming days.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called the debate over Kiev's possible use of Storm Shadow missiles to attack Russian territory "playing with fire."