This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
U.S. media are reporting that President Joe Biden’s administration has lifted restrictions that have prevented Ukraine from using American-provided weapons to strike deeper inside Russian territory.
Reports on November 17 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, Reuters, and others cited sources familiar with the matter.
The White House has not commented on the reports and did not immediately respond to requests for comment from RFE/RL. The National Security Council (NSC) also declined to comment.
It was not immediately clear how far-reaching such permission would be. Biden, in remarks made during a trip to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, did not respond to shouted questions about the matter from journalists.
If confirmed, it would represent a major shift in U.S. policy amid long-standing pleas by Kyiv to allow such actions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not directly confirm the reports but said that one of the main points of his “victory plan” presented to allies included the use of long-range weapons by his military.
“Today, many people in the media are saying that we have received permission for appropriate actions. But [militaries] do not strike with words. Such things are not announced. Rockets will speak for themselves,” he said on Telegram.
Reuters, citing its sources, reported that Kyiv plans to conduct the first of such long-range attacks in the next few days, but it did not disclose specifics.
Ukraine would likely utilize ATACMS rockets — which have a range of up to 300 kilometers — Reuters said, citing three sources familiar with the issue.
The U.S. administration has been seeking ways to shore up support for Ukraine ahead of Biden’s departure on January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump has criticized the strong support Biden has given to Kyiv and has said he will seek an end to the war as quickly as possible, but with terms that would likely be unacceptable to Ukraine.
There was no immediate comment from the Trump transition team, but a key adviser attacked the move in a post on X.
“Escalating the wars before he leaves office,” Richard Grenell wrote.
However, Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general and former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, told RFE/RL that such a move would send “a message to the Kremlin that the [the United States] is not just folding up our tents and waiting for Trump.”
Hodges said it would be a “good thing because this policy would be in effect as the Trump administration takes over and, frankly, it’s a good thing for Donald Trump.”
He said the priority for Ukraine in the use of the weapons will likely be in Russia’s Kursk region, using them to strike command-and-control sites, arms depots, and artillery batteries.
The next priority would likely be to target airfields that Russia uses to launch strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Phillips O’Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, said he believes the move was long overdue, but that the concern now was whether Trump would reverse the move once he takes office.
He and other observers said the U.S. move would likely lead other allies — including Britain and France — to make similar moves.
Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons has dividend many of Kyiv’s allies, with some fearing it could provoke Russian counter-responses and lead to a wider European war.
Biden himself had been reluctant to allow such actions, although the White House in May granted permission for the use of ATACMS for limited hits just across the Russian border to deter imminent strikes against Ukraine.
AP and other outlets cited sources as saying the latest decision by Biden is likely in response to North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia amid reports that some have already engaged in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.
The Kremlin has warned that the allowance by the United States or other Western allies to use long-range weapons targeting Russia would be seen as a major escalation.
Since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, Russia has used its long-range weapons and warplanes to attack deep inside Ukraine, hitting civilian and infrastructure sites along with military targets.
After Russia launched one of its largest air strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure on November 17, Ukraine’s energy authority said all Ukrainian regions will experience temporary restrictions on power consumption on November 18.
The latest Russian attacks were condemned by the European Union, NATO, and other Western allies.
“NATO strongly condemns Russia’s large-scale attack against Ukraine that has killed and terrorized civilians and targeted critical energy infrastructure,” a spokeswoman said.
“We stand by Ukraine and allies continue to make unprecedented contributions to Ukraine’s defenses,” she said.
