"We're working that out right now": US may allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden does not rule out the possibility that Ukraine may receive permission to strike deep into Russian territory with American weapons. However, Washington prefers to consider "all factors".

This was stated by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Sky News. Later, Biden himself told reporters at the White House that his administration was "working it out right now" when asked whether the United States would lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range weapons.

Blinken recalled that the United States has provided Ukraine with "what it needs when it needs it to effectively repel Russian aggression" since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

He added that Washington also had to take into account other factors, such as whether Ukrainian forces would be able to use the "sophisticated systems" provided by Western allies and whether they would be able to maintain them.

"All of those things have to go into these decisions. But what I can tell you is, we've adapted and adjusted every step along the way, and we'll continue - so not ruling out at this stage (authorization to strike deep into Russian territory - Ed.)," Blinken said.

The official noted that the United States "never rules out" anything. But when they make a decision, they want to be sure that it is done in a way that "can advance what the Ukrainians are trying to achieve."

As reported, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that the Russian occupiers had redeployed aircraft used to strike Ukraine with guided bombs beyond the range of ATACMS missiles. That is why, instead of giving Ukraine permission to strike deep into the aggressor country, the United States is "focused on helping Ukraine be more effective."

As a reminder, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will pay a joint visit to Kyiv this week. It is likely that during this visit, Ukraine will be granted permission to use ATACMS missiles to strike at Russian territory.

Meanwhile, analysts from the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in their report questioned Austin's statement. They note that the Secretary is right that one weapon system will not change the course of the war. However, his comments do not take into account how the availability of different systems and the respective rules of engagement can affect Ukraine's military capabilities, and how changes in these capabilities can affect the course of the war.

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