WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden gave Ukraine the green light to use US weapons to strike in Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkov, according to three American officials familiar with the matter.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, stressed that U.S. policy calling on Ukraine not to use U.S.-supplied ATACMS, long-range missiles and other munitions to conduct offensive strikes inside Russia have not changed.
Biden’s directive authorizes the use of US-supplied weapons for “counterfire purposes in the Kharkiv region so that Ukraine can retaliate against Russian forces attacking or preparing to attack them “said an official.
The move comes as Ukrainian officials have increased calls for the US administration to allow its forces to defend against attacks from Russian territory. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Russian border.
AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports that President Biden has partially lifted the ban on Ukraine using American weapons on Russian territory.
Biden’s decision was first reported by Politico.
Ukrainian officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are increasingly clear that the restrictions put Ukrainian forces in an untenable situation. Russia has intensified its attacks around the northeast region of Kharkiv.
The progress came as Russia exploited a long delay in replenishing U.S. military aid and as Western Europe’s insufficient military production slowed crucial battlefield deliveries to Ukraine.
During Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to kyiv two weeks ago, Zelensky argued for using U.S. weapons to retaliate against Russian positions launching attacks in the north and northeast of the country. ‘Ukraine.
Blinken was convinced and took that message back to Washington, but it was ultimately Biden’s decision to make, according to three U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s internal deliberations.
Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, Biden has remained strongly opposed to Ukraine’s offensive use of American-made weapons, fearing that the action could be seen as a provocation and lead Moscow to expand the war .
Blinken said in Moldova on Wednesday that U.S. policy on how Ukraine deploys American weapons was constantly evolving, hinting that Washington could modify its unwritten ban on their use by Ukraine for attacks on Russian territory . On Thursday, Blinken joined NATO Foreign Ministers at a meeting in Prague, where, during a visit to a Czech military base, he saw armored vehicles being sent to kyiv.
Although U.S. officials insist there is no formal ban on the weapons, they have long made clear that they believe using U.S. weapons to attack targets in Russia could provoke an escalation of Moscow’s response , which Russian President Vladimir Putin promised.
This position, Blinken noted, was a “hallmark” of the Biden administration’s position on the need for Ukraine to “adapt and adjust” if necessary.
“As conditions have changed, as the battlefield has changed, as Russia has changed in terms of its continued aggression and escalation, we have adapted and adjusted as well, and I am confident that we will continue to do this,” Blinken said at a news conference in Moldova.
“We are still listening, we are still learning, and we are still making decisions about what is necessary to ensure that Ukraine can continue to defend itself effectively, and we will continue to do so,” he said.
Calls for policy change are growing.
Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Western countries should not object if Ukraine were to strike inside Russia to defend itself. Stoltenberg reaffirmed this position on Thursday.
“I think the time has come to (re)consider some of these restrictions to allow Ukrainians to actually defend themselves,” he said. “We need to remember what this is about. This is a war of aggression deliberately launched by Moscow against Ukraine.”
The right to self-defense, he added, “also includes striking legitimate military targets outside Ukraine.”
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky told a NATO-related event in Prague on Thursday that Ukraine needs resources to counter Russia’s relentless onslaught.
“Ukraine cannot fight against Russia with its hands tied behind its back,” he said. “Ukraine must be able to fight against the barbarian invasion of Russia, even on Russian territory. Political determination must be backed by credible capabilities.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that his country believes Ukraine “has a clear right under international law to attack Russia inside Russia in the defense of its territory.
Biden’s decision comes as he prepares to travel to France early next month to attend. 80th anniversary of the Landing commemorations in Normandy, a decisive moment in changing the course of the Second World War. Zelensky is among dozens of world leaders should attend commemorations of the Landing.
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Lee reported from Prague. Associated Press writers Karel Janicek in Prague and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report.
News Source : apnews.com
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