In a significant shift in US policy, President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use American-supplied long-range missiles for strikes deep within Russian territory, Reuters reported Sunday, as the conflict marks its 1,000th day.
The French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Britain and France have followed suit, authorizing the deployment of Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles for strikes deep inside Russian territory.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Ukraine is poised to launch its first long-range attacks in the coming days, utilizing ATACMS rockets capable of striking targets up to 190 miles away. The White House has declined to comment on the matter.
This pivotal decision comes less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, following persistent appeals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for permission to target Russian positions far from the border. The policy shift was partly prompted by the alarming deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces.
Several US officials have expressed reservations about the decision, suggesting that enabling long-range strikes could fundamentally alter the war's trajectory. However, proponents argue the move could strengthen Ukraine's position in potential future ceasefire negotiations.
It remains unknown whether Trump will reverse Biden's decision upon taking office. The president-elect has previously criticized the scale of US financial and military aid, praised Putin, and claimed he would swiftly end the war, though he has not specified how.
Moscow has responded to the development, characterizing the lifting of restrictions on Ukraine as a "significant escalation." Vladimir Dzhabarov, who serves as first deputy chair of the international affairs committee in Russia's Federation Council, warned that permitting Kyiv to conduct deep strikes into Russian territory "could lead to World War Three."
