President Joe Biden’s administration will allow Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, three sources familiar with the matter said, in a significant shift in Washington’s policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Ukraine plans to carry out its first long-range strikes in the coming days, according to the sources, who did not disclose details for operational security reasons.
The White House declined to comment.
The U.S. move, two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, follows months of requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to allow Ukraine’s military to use U.S. weapons to strike Russian military targets located far from its border.
The move follows Russia’s deployment of North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces, a development that has sparked concern in Washington and kyiv.
The first deep strikes will likely be carried out using ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 306 km, according to sources.
Although some U.S. officials have expressed skepticism that the overall trajectory of the war could be changed by authorizing long-range strikes, the move could help Ukraine at a time when Russian forces are gaining ground and possibly put kyiv in a better position to defend themselves during negotiations. when and if ceasefire negotiations take place.
It’s unclear whether Trump will reverse Biden’s decision when he takes office. Trump has long criticized the extent of U.S. financial and military aid to Ukraine and has promised to end the war quickly, without explaining how.
Still, some congressional Republicans have urged Biden to relax the rules on how Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons.
Russia has warned it would view a move to ease limits on Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons as a major escalation.
