Pressure increases on Biden to let US weapons hit Russia

US President Joe Biden faces growing pressure from allies to allow Ukraine to strike targets in Russia using Western weapons.

A number of European countries, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, have indicated they are open to easing restrictions on how Ukraine can use Western-supplied weapons.

They believe Ukraine should be able to launch offensive strikes against Russian military targets across the border to better repel its advances.

But Washington, which has supplied most of Ukraine's weapons, has resisted easing these restrictions for fear of an escalation. He claims he neither encouraged nor permitted Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil.

Pressure on the United States to relax a ban on Ukraine's strikes in Russia has intensified in recent days, with French President Emmanuel Macron expressing direct support for the move. He said Ukraine should be “allowed” to use Western-supplied weapons against military sites on Russian territory – but strictly not against civilian targets.

This pressure has been compounded by Russia's recent advances on the battlefield. Moscow has made significant progress in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region and northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region. Ukraine's losses were compounded by partisan paralysis in Washington, which led to a long delay in the supply of missiles and artillery shells.

While Mr. Macron has argued for more direct intervention in Ukraine's war for some time, other Western leaders also appear to be softening to the idea.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remained cautious in public, but a spokesman in Berlin said “defensive action is not limited to one's own territory, but also includes the territory of the aggressor.”

British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said earlier this month that it was up to Ukraine to decide how to use British weapons, while this week Poland's deputy defense minister said that the Ukrainians could use Polish weapons “as they saw fit.”

Debate over the issue is ongoing within the US administration, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken among those trying to convince President Biden to ease restrictions.

Mr. Blinken became the first senior administration official to suggest that the United States might change its position during a visit to Moldova on Wednesday, telling reporters that Washington's position on the issue would “adapt and change.” 'adjust' as battlefield conditions change.

“[Ukraine] must make their own decisions about how best to defend themselves effectively. We’re going to make sure he has the equipment to do that,” he said.

“As Russia has changed in terms of how it pursues its aggression and escalation, we have also adapted and adjusted, and I am confident that we will continue to do so,” Blinken added.

But any move by Mr. Biden to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons carries significant risks.

Ukrainian drone strikes have already reportedly targeted Russian nuclear warning radar systems deep within the country's territory.

The US administration, according to an article in the Washington Post, expressed concerns to kyiv about the two attempted attacks on radar stations that provide conventional air defense and warning of nuclear launches from the West.

The report cites an unnamed U.S. official describing these locations as sensitive “because Russia may perceive that its strategic deterrent capabilities are being targeted, which could undermine Russia's ability to maintain its nuclear deterrent against the United States.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned this week that Ukraine's attacks on Russia with Western missiles risk triggering a wider war. “Consistent escalation can lead to serious consequences,” he said. “Do they want global conflict?

He added that responsibility for any strikes inside his country's territory would fall on Western arms suppliers, even if Ukrainian forces carried out those strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said it was “unfair” for Western countries to impose limits on the use of their weapons, while acknowledging that Ukraine could not risk the support of its partners.

Earlier this month, Mr. Blinken met with President Zelensky in kyiv. Mr. Zelensky spoke of “security guarantees” involving a longer-term bilateral defense pact that is about to be signed between the United States and Ukraine.

The question of whether Washington would allow Ukraine to use American weapons for strikes on Russian territory would likely have come up during their private talks.

Some NATO countries remain nervous about this prospect. On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she did not consider it necessary to strike Russian military bases and urged the West to provide more air defenses to Ukraine.

The United States has already supplied Ukraine with thousands of defensive weapons, tanks and air defense systems. Since April, it has also sent Ukraine the longest version of the ATACMS missiles, which can travel up to 300 km.