The President of the United States, Joe Biden, authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to attack Russia. This decision comes after a campaign led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to lift restrictions on missiles known as ATACMS, which would allow Ukraine to operate beyond its borders. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Western nations against this measure, indicating that it would be direct NATO involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
Washington's authorization for the use of ATACMS missiles is limited to the defense of Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk, where Ukraine launched an incursion in August. This action is seen as U.S. support for Ukraine's efforts to maintain the territory it currently occupies, possibly as a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
Serhiy Kuzan, president of the Ukraine Security and Cooperation Center, described Biden's decision as crucial for the country, stating that it would level the playing field for Ukrainian forces. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, told outlets such as the New York Times and the Washington Post that Biden's approval came in response to Russia's permissiveness regarding the sending of North Korean soldiers to Ukraine.
Kuzan stated that this decision comes just in time to counter a potential joint Russian-Korean assault aimed at expelling Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region in the coming days. Biden's approval also paves the way for countries like the United Kingdom and France to authorize Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles on Russian soil.
While the United States has been a major supplier of arms to Ukraine, the stance of the United Kingdom and France has not yet been made public. There is concern that a potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency could jeopardize military support for Ukraine. As of June 2024, the U.S. has delivered or committed military equipment worth $55.5 billion, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research organization.
