This article was reprinted with permission after being published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
U. S. media are reporting that President Joe Biden’s leadership has lifted regulations that have prevented Ukraine from , using American-provided weapons , to reach deeper inside Soviet territory.
Information on November 17 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, Reuters, and some cited options familiar with the matter.
RFE/RL’s requests for comment were not promptly responded to by the White House and the White House. The National Security Council ( NSC ) also declined to comment.
How significant a request for such a permission may be was not immediately known. In remarks made during a trip to the Brazilian Amazon forest, Biden did not respond to reporters ‘ yell-out inquiries about the subject.
If confirmed, it may indicate a significant change in U. S. scheme amid long-standing requests by Kyiv to allow such activities.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, did not directly verify the reports, but he claimed that one of his country’s primary objectives was to use long-range weapons by his military.
” Today, some people in the advertising claim that appropriate actions have been authorized.” But ]militaries ] do not strike with words. Such issues are never announced. Rockets did speak for themselves”, he said on , Telegram.
Reuters, citing its options, reported that Kyiv plans to do the first of such long-range problems in the next few weeks, but it did not disclose details.
According to three News sources who are familiar with the situation, Ukraine would probably use ATACMS rockets, which have a range of away to 300 meters.
Before President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, the U.S. management has been looking for ways to boost Ukraine support.
Trump has criticised Biden’s overwhelming support for Kyiv and has stated that he will work with him to put an end to the conflict as soon as possible, with words that Ukraine would probably find objectionable.
The Trump change team did not respond right away, but a major assistant criticized the decision in a blog on X.
” Escalating the war before he leaves office”, Richard Grenell , wrote.
But, Ben Hodges, a retired U. S. lieutenant colonel and former chief of U. S. Army forces in Europe, told RFE/RL that such a move may mail” a message to the Kremlin that the]the United States ] is not just folding up our houses and waiting for Trump”.
Hodges argued that it would be a” good thing” because it would remain in place as the Trump administration re-emerged, and that Donald Trump would benefit from doing so.
He said the goal for Ukraine in the use of the arms will likely be in Russia’s Kursk area, using them to reach command-and-control sites, hands warehouses, and artillery batteries.
Next, it’s likely that Russia will assuredly target Russian airports in order to launch attacks against Ukrainian cities.
Phillips O’Brien, a professor of corporate studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland,  , said he believes the move , was long overdue, but that the concern now was whether Trump may slow the move when he takes office.
According to him and other observers, the U.S. decision is likely to inspire other allies, including Britain and France, to follow suit.
Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons has dividend many of Kyiv’s allies, with some fearing it could provoke Russian counter-responses and lead to a wider European war.
Biden himself had been reluctant to allow such actions, although the White House in May granted , permission , for the use of ATACMS for limited hits just across the Russian border to deter imminent strikes against Ukraine.
According to AP and other outlets, Biden’s most recent decision is likely to be a response to North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia despite reports that some people have already started fighting in the Kursk region.
The Kremlin has warned that the United States’ or other Western allies ‘ use of long-range weapons against Russia would be seen as a significant escalation.
Since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, Russia has used its long-range weapons and warplanes to attack deep inside Ukraine, hitting civilian and infrastructure sites along with military targets.
Ukraine’s energy authority announced that all Ukrainian regions will experience temporary restrictions on power consumption starting on November 18 after Russia carried out one of its largest airstrikes against the country’s energy infrastructure.
The latest Russian attacks were condemned by the European Union, NATO, and other Western allies.
“NATO strongly condemns Russia’s large-scale attack against Ukraine that has killed and terrorized civilians and targeted critical energy infrastructure”, a spokeswoman said.
” We stand by Ukraine and allies continue to make unprecedented contributions to Ukraine’s defenses”, she said.
