Biden wants to allow Ukraine to use US weapons for attacks inside Russia

The Biden administration has decided to allow Ukraine to launch attacks inside Russia using American-made weapons in order to deter Russian attacks in the Kharkiv region, senior US officials said on Thursday.

The decision followed weeks of discussions with the Ukrainians after Russia launched a major attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

Because Kharkiv is located in northeastern Ukraine close to Russia, the Russian military has been shelling the area surrounding the city with artillery and missiles launched or fired from Russian territory. Ukrainians have asked the Americans to give them more leeway in defending Kharkiv, a U.S. official said.

President Biden’s authorization was intended solely to allow Ukraine to attack military sites in Russia that were used to launch attacks on the Kharkiv region, US officials said.

A senior U.S. official in Washington said the administration’s policy of banning Ukraine from using American-made weapons for “long-range attacks” inside Russia had not changed.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken told reporters traveling with him to Moldova that the United States would “adapt and adjust” to battlefield conditions, responding to a question about whether Biden would soon allow Ukraine to strike Russia with American weapons, strongly suggesting that the president made the decision to give Ukraine permission.

The heads of state and government of NATO, France and Germany recently urged the US to make this decision. In internal government talks, Blinken has spoken out in favor of moving in this direction. He is attending a NATO meeting in Prague on Thursday and Friday and visited Ukraine more than two weeks ago.

Politico reported on Mr Biden’s decision on Thursday.

The Pentagon’s job is to provide Ukraine with precise guidelines on what attacks it is allowed to carry out in Russia, US officials said.

In addition to artillery and rocket launchers, Ukrainians are concerned that Russian aircraft could drop glide bombs on Kharkiv from Russian airspace. Glide bombs are simple munitions with fins. Ukrainian officials say they want to use American weapons to attack Russian aircraft in Russian airspace and at air bases inside Russia.