President Joe Biden administration has granted Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory, according to two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the decision.
This development, reported on Sunday, marks a reversal of Washington’s long-standing reluctance to escalate the war.
Ukraine is reportedly preparing to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days. While operational security prevents the disclosure of specific details, sources confirm that these strikes will likely utilize ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles (306 km).
This change in U.S. policy comes just two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on January 20, raising questions about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has long called for this policy shift to counter Russian aggression.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, he hinted at the impending actions, “Today, many in the media are saying that we have received permission to take appropriate actions. But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves.”
The decision follows alarming developments, including Russia’s deployment of over 10,000 North Korean troops to bolster its forces. Most of these troops are reportedly stationed in the Kursk region and have already engaged in combat.
This deployment, coupled with recent Russian advances, has heightened tensions in Kyiv and Washington.
In response to the U.S. decision, Kremlin officials have yet to issue a formal statement, though Russian lawmakers have expressed outrage.
Vladimir Dzhabarov, a senior figure in Russia’s Federation Council, warned, “Washington’s decision to let Kyiv strike deep into Russia could lead to World War Three.”
Similarly, Andrei Klishas, another Federation Council member, declared on Telegram, “The West has decided on such a level of escalation that it could end with the Ukrainian statehood in complete ruins by morning.”
Meanwhile, U.S. officials acknowledge the risks but argue that loosening restrictions is necessary to improve Ukraine’s negotiating position.
A senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, Alex Plitsas, criticized the timing of the decision,”Removing targeting restrictions will allow the Ukrainians to stop fighting with one hand tied behind their back. However, like everything else, I believe history will say the decision came way too late. Just like the ATACMS, HIMARS, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Abrams tanks, and F-16s. They were all needed much sooner.”
The policy shift also highlights divisions in U.S. politics. Congressional Republicans have long urged President Joe Biden to grant Ukraine greater latitude in its use of U.S. weaponry.
Representative Mike Turner, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, welcomed the decision but emphasized that “there are still too many restrictions on Ukraine.”
He added, “This first step will put pressure on Vladimir Putin as President-elect Trump returns to the White House and works to end this war.”
However, critics, including Trump’s foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell, have slammed the timing of the decision.
“Escalating the wars before he leaves office,” Grenell wrote on X.Trump himself has been a vocal critic of the scale of U.S. support for Ukraine and has vowed to end the conflict quickly, though he has not clarified his strategy.
Concerns about a broader escalation remain. NATO allies, while supplying Ukraine with weapons, have imposed strict conditions on their use to avoid provoking Russian retaliation or risking a nuclear confrontation.
Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, defended the U.S. decision, framing it as a response to Russia’s growing reliance on North Korea, “President Biden responded to the entry of North Korean troops into the war and the massive Russian missile strike in a language that V. Putin understands – by removing restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western missiles.”
As Ukraine regroups after losing ground in its August incursions into the Kursk region, this policy shift could prove pivotal. While some U.S. officials remain skeptical about its ability to alter the war’s trajectory, others argue it could provide Ukraine with critical leverage in potential peace talks.
For now, the world waits to see how this decision will reshape the conflict and whether it will provoke the Kremlin into retaliatory measures that could escalate the war even further.
