'Joe Biden's missile U-turn could be pivotal moment in Ukraine-Russia war'

Joe Biden's sensational U-turn could finally give Ukraine a boost in its war against Russia before Donald Trump enters the White House for a second time in January

Joe Biden’s U-turn to allow Ukraine to fire US-supplied long-range missiles into Russian territory could be a pivotal moment in a war it has been slowly losing.

Deployed alongside Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missiles – should the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron formally approve their use for targets inside Russia – Vladimir Putin’s forces would no longer be able to launch attacks into Ukraine with impunity.

The move will raise fears of escalation but Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky has been fighting with one hand tied behind his back while largely restricted to striking Putin’s forces only once they crossed the border.

Now freed up by outgoing US President Biden, the dynamics of this conflict could yet change again when Donald Trump enters the White House in January. In the meantime, Ukraine may be down but it’s certainly not out.

Cold comfort

As former Prime Minister Gordon Brown champions warm refuges for the needy this winter, it is worrying to hear A&E doctors voice safety concerns.

The danger of patients being left on trolleys in corridors, or stranded in ambulances, is why the government is providing urgent funding.

But reviving an ailing NHS inherited from the Tories will be challenging, with lives at risk. The Warm Welcome places backed by Mr Brown, a formidable anti-poverty campaigner, offer a lifeline to the hard-up and poor.

But the axing for most pensioners of the winter fuel allowance, worth up to £300, introduced by Mr Brown, casts a chilly shadow. We all need to look out for each other – and that includes building public services and a welfare state for everybody.

Jungle fever

The return to our TV screens of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! will spice up evenings as the weather turns cold. Unlike some other shows, we have actually heard of these celebs. Let the fun begin.