Secretary Blinken confirms that Ukraine can use US weapons in…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Friday that the Biden administration has told Ukrainian forces they can use U.S. weapons for limited attacks against certain targets in Russia. U.S. policy toward Ukraine has adapted to changing battlefield conditions, Blinken said. Ukrainian officials had requested the possibility of using these weapons against Russian forces massed in Russia, near the border with the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. These troops were preparing to strike targets in Ukraine, he added.

Did Blinken say anything else about the situation in Ukraine? NATO officials will hold a summit in Washington in July, he said. At the summit, alliance members would work to accelerate Ukraine's inclusion in NATO. Blinken called the alliance the largest — it has welcomed Sweden and Finland as members since Russia invaded Ukraine — and stronger than it has ever been.

What does the Kremlin say about the use of American weapons against targets in Russia? Any US or European forces or specialists using weapons systems that attack targets in Russia will be considered ideal targets for counterattacks, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday. There is also no need for forces to be present in Ukraine, Russian state media reported. If the forces of other countries attack targets in Russia, Russian troops will destroy them and their weapons, Medvedev said.

Dig Deeper: Listen to reports from Leo Briceno and Carolina Lumetta on The world and everything in it podcast about how aid to Ukraine was recently approved by the House of Representatives, but lawmakers couldn't agree on artificial intelligence regulations.