WASHINGTON: In a major shift in US policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, President Joe Biden’s administration has removed limits that had prevented Ukraine from using US-provided weaponry to strike deep into Russian territory, according to three people familiar with the situation.
According to the sources, who declined to provide specifics because of operational security concerns, Ukraine intends to launch its first long-range attacks in the days ahead. The White House opted not to respond.
The United States’ action follows months of appeals by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to permit Ukraine’s forces to utilize US weapons to strike Russian military targets far from its border. The move comes just over two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
The move comes after Russia sent North Korean ground forces to support its own forces, a move that alarmed Kyiv and Washington.
According to the sources, ATACMS rockets, which can travel up to 190 miles (306 km), are probably going to be used for the initial deep attacks. The move could benefit Ukraine at a time when Russian forces are making progress and could put Kyiv in a better negotiating position when and if ceasefire talks take place, despite some US officials expressing doubt that permitting long-range strikes will alter the course of the war overall.
It is not certain if Trump will reverse Biden’s decision when he becomes office. Trump has long criticized the extent of US military and financial support for Ukraine and promised to bring the conflict to a swift end without providing details.
Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have pushed Biden to relax restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-supplied munitions. A attempt to relax restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US weapons would be viewed by Russia as a significant escalation, the country has warned.
