U.S. President Joe Biden hugs Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he visits the Memorial Wall to honor Ukrainian soldiers killed during Russia’s attack on Ukraine, February 20, 2023, in Kiev, Ukraine.
Presidential Press Service of Ukraine | Reuters
President Joe Biden’s The U.S. government will allow Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons deep into Russian territory, three people familiar with the matter said, in a major change in Washington’s policy in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Sources said Ukraine plans to conduct its first remote attack in the coming days, but did not disclose details due to operational security concerns.
The White House declined to comment.
The U.S. move comes two months before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on January 20 after months of requests from Ukraine’s president Vladimir Zelensky Allowing Ukrainian forces to use U.S. weapons against Russian military targets far from its borders.
The change comes after Russia deployed North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces, a development that alarmed Washington and Kiev.
Sources said the first deep strike could be carried out using an ATACMS rocket with a range of up to 190 miles (306 kilometers).
While some U.S. officials have expressed skepticism that allowing long-range strikes would change the overall trajectory of the war, the decision could help Ukraine as Russian forces make advances and could put Kyiv in a better negotiating position when ceasefire talks take place.
It is unclear whether Trump will reverse Biden’s decision once he takes office. Trump has long criticized the scale of U.S. financial and military aid to Ukraine and has vowed to end the war quickly without explaining how.
Still, some congressional Republicans have urged Biden to relax rules on how Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons.
Russia has warned that any move to ease restrictions on the use of U.S. weapons in Ukraine would be seen as a major escalation.
