US plans to let Ukraine use its weapons to strike Russia, even if it angers Putin: report

• U.S. officials are considering letting Ukraine strike Russia with American weapons, the New York Times reports.

• Ukraine says it is necessary to combat cross-border attacks.

• But the fear of crossing Russian red lines has long made the United States hesitate.

The United States has banned Ukraine from striking targets on Russian territory with its arsenal of American weapons.

But that may be about to change. The New York Times reported Thursday that U.S. officials are considering rolling back the rule, which Ukraine says seriously hampers its ability to defend itself.

The proposed reversal came after Russia placed weapons across Ukraine's northeastern border and directed them toward Kharkiv, the Times reported, noting that Ukraine could only use non-American drones to respond.

The Times reported that the proposal was still under debate and had not yet been formally proposed to President Joe Biden.

Analysts say the policy shift could give Ukraine a crucial advantage in countering Russian attacks, using U.S. weapons to strike troop gatherings and Russian planes carrying “glider bombs.”

Some US allies, such as the United Kingdom, have already lifted restrictions on the use of their weapons to strike targets in Russia.

Concerns remain, however, about how Russia might react to the decision. Reports indicate that Biden believes Russia could retaliate by launching an attack against the United States or one of its allies, leading to a spiral of retaliation that could result in nuclear war.

This is a concern that has long played a central role in the amount of aid to be given to Ukraine.

Throughout the war, the United States gradually increased its support for Ukraine, providing it with more sophisticated weapons.

Ukraine has repeatedly ignored US warnings about a possible escalation of the conflict, for example by attacking the Crimean peninsula or launching long-range drone attacks deep within Russia itself.

So far, Russia has yet to respond to these measures with a massive escalation of attacks, and analysts recently told Business Insider that the Kremlin appears keen to avoid direct war with its NATO allies. .

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened the West with nuclear weapons over its support for Ukraine and this week announced new nuclear exercises near the Ukrainian border.

Some warn that the West will only know when it has crossed Russia's red lines when it is too late.

Analysts writing for the Responsible Statecraft think tank said last year that the response could take the form of an attack on US satellites aimed at destroying civilian and military communications. The Times report said U.S. officials believe Putin has red lines that could trigger an escalation, but they don't know where they are or what the response would be.

In an interview with Reuters this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Western caution, saying its support usually came a year too late.

“But it's like this: one big step forward, but before that, two steps back. So we need to change the paradigm a little,” Zelensky said. “We are negotiating with our partners to be able to use their weapons against the accumulation of Russian equipment on the border and even against [on] their territory,” he said. “So far there is nothing positive.”

Read the original article on Business Insider