U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signaled that the Biden administration has increased support for Ukrainian military activity in response to threats within Russia’s borders, although he did not offer many specific details about the changing rules of engagement. Throughout the two years of large-scale fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, NATO countries have gradually provided the Ukrainian side with more advanced weapons systems while considering how much help they can provide without escalating into a conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.
During his visit to the Czech Republic on Friday, Mr. Blinken was asked about the Biden administration’s policy towards allowing Ukrainian forces to strike targets within Russia using U.S.-donated weapons. He indicated that the administration is relaxing its restrictions on how Ukrainian forces fight but did not go into detail.
Over the past few weeks, Ukraine came to us and asked for the authorization to use weapons that we’re providing to defend against this aggression, including against Russian forces that are massing on the Russian side of the border and then attacking into Ukraine,” Mr. Blinken told reporters. And that went right to the president, and as you heard, he’s approved the use of our weapons for that purpose.
In an email response from the U.S. State Department on Friday, it was stated that President Biden recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons to counterattack Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. The policy prohibiting Ukrainian forces from using a U.S.-donated tactical ballistic missile platform called the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and other “long-range strikes” inside of Russia remains unchanged.
French President Emmanuel Macron also believes that Ukrainian forces should be able to strike missile launch sites within Russia’s borders firing missiles into Ukraine but not target other areas inside the country. However, some NATO leaders have opposed signing off on Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory.