In a significant policy shift, U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to strike Russian territory. The decision, first reported by the Associated Press (AP) and corroborated by The New York Times and AFP, signals a major escalation in U.S. involvement in the war in Ukraine.
This development comes as Biden nears the end of his presidency, with President-elect Donald Trump promising to scale back U.S. support for Ukraine and prioritize ending the war quickly.
The move is believed to be a direct response to North Korea’s decision to deploy thousands of troops to support Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, which began in February 2022 under Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, indicated that the long-range missiles would bolster Ukraine’s ability to counter this new alignment.
The shift in U.S. policy underscores the growing complexity of the war, now entering its third year. Ukrainian forces have faced dwindling supplies of soldiers, weapons, and ammunition, even as Western allies, including NATO countries, have pledged increased support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to this escalation with sharp warnings. In a recent meeting of Russia’s Security Council, he reiterated that any NATO-backed attack on Russian territory could be considered a direct act of war by the alliance. He also highlighted potential revisions to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which could redefine aggression involving nuclear-armed allies of non-nuclear states as grounds for nuclear retaliation.
“Any Western authorization for Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian territory means NATO countries are directly involved in the war,” Putin said in a video statement on Telegram. “This would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict.”
Ukraine has consistently sought approval from the U.S. and its allies to use Western-provided weapons for strikes within Russia, aiming to disrupt military operations close to the Ukrainian border and in annexed territories like Crimea. However, Biden’s authorization marks the first official green light for such operations.
Since Russia launched its large-scale invasion in February 2022, citing the need to protect pro-Russian separatists and “denazify” Ukraine, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides. Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in large-scale airstrikes, while Ukrainian forces have conducted strikes on Russian soil, including the Kursk region and Crimea.
As Russian troops advance in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces are working to counterattack despite their limited resources. Meanwhile, the diplomatic stalemate persists, with no meaningful negotiations since spring 2022. Moscow maintains its demand that Ukraine accept the annexation of territories occupied by Russian forces.
The U.S. decision to approve the use of long-range missiles could have far-reaching implications. It not only intensifies the conflict but also raises the risk of direct NATO involvement, a scenario that Western leaders have sought to avoid.
As the war evolves, the international community watches closely to see how this new phase will unfold and whether it will bring the parties closer to a resolution or further entrench the conflict’s devastating toll.
