After months of limiting Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory with U.S. weaponry, President Joe Biden has hinted at a potential policy shift.
During a press conference in the White House garden on Tuesday, Biden indicated that the administration is actively discussing the possibility of lifting these restrictions.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed this sentiment in an interview with Sky News, stating that the U.S. is considering adjusting the current limits based on Ukrainian forces’ effectiveness and operational capabilities. Blinken emphasized that the U.S. is “not ruling anything out” and that decisions will be made based on ongoing assessments. Blinken is scheduled to visit Kyiv on Wednesday to further discuss support with Ukrainian officials.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. has supplied vast amounts of weaponry to Ukraine. However, due to opposition in Congress, supplies were halted for nearly six months before resuming in April. The U.S. provided ATACMS with a range of 300 kilometers and allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with these missiles starting in May. Nevertheless, the U.S. has drawn a line, limiting target areas to only near the borders for defensive purposes. European countries that supplied similar long-range weapons also restricted their targets.
In response, the Ukrainian government has requested permission in recent months to strike long-range targets, including key Russian areas around the capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Western support during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) held in Germany last week, emphasizing, “We need long-range capabilities not only in Ukraine but also on Russian territory to compel Russia to seek peace.” However, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who attended the meeting, downplayed the significance of long-range weapons, stating, “I don’t believe that one specific capability is going to be decisive.”
On the domestic front, U.S. lawmakers notably support expanding Ukraine’s strike capabilities. On September 9, six Republican members of the House of Representatives, led by Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, urged Biden to lift the restrictions.
Contrarily, CNN reported on Tuesday that the Biden administration may not be moving forward with any changes to the current policy. A source close to the administration claimed that there are no plans to alter the existing restrictions. This indicates that the ongoing debate over this issue has not yet resulted in a policy shift.
