The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, announced a shift in the Biden administration’s policy regarding the use of U.S.-donated weapons by Ukraine. President Joe Biden’s administration has increased support for Ukrainian military efforts to address threats within Russia’s borders, although specific details about the new rules of engagement were not fully disclosed.
Over the past two years of conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces, NATO countries, including the Biden administration, have gradually provided Ukraine with advanced weapons systems. The consideration of how much support to provide without escalating into a full-blown conflict with Russia has been an ongoing concern.
Recently, amidst a renewed Russian offensive near Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, there has been a shift in views within NATO regarding Ukrainian forces using donated weapons to strike across the border into Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested loosening rules of engagement to allow strikes inside Russia, a request that some Western alliance leaders have begun to consider.
During a press conference in the Czech Republic, Secretary Blinken addressed the Biden administration’s evolving policy on Ukrainian strikes against Russian targets using U.S.-donated weapons. While details were scarce, Blinken confirmed a change in policy, allowing Ukrainian forces to use U.S.-supplied weapons for defensive purposes.
NTD News sought clarification from the Biden administration regarding its stance on Ukraine using U.S.-donated weapons to strike Russian territory. The State Department indicated that President Biden has authorized the use of weapons for counter-fire in the Kharkiv region. However, the policy prohibiting certain long-range strikes inside Russia remains unchanged.
In contrast, other NATO leaders have expressed more explicit support for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and French President Emmanuel Macron have both acknowledged Ukraine’s right to self-defense, including limited strikes on legitimate military targets within Russian borders.
However, not all NATO members are in agreement. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have raised concerns about endorsing Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, warning of the potential for further conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also cautioned against such actions, emphasizing the risks involved.
Please rewrite this sentence.
Source link
