Still awaiting significant US military aid, Kiev’s new urgency has led to a growing list of Western officials backing the idea of lifting restrictions on striking targets inside Russia.
For much of the war, Kiev’s partners drew a firm red line to allow Ukraine to use weapons they supplied to Ukraine inside Russian territory, fearing the conflict could escalate into World War III.
The Biden administration has been consistent in this position, perhaps worried that Russian President Vladimir Putin might retaliate by using nuclear weapons, which he has regularly threatened throughout the conflict.
But with Ukraine outnumbered, outgunned and outnumbered, Kiev is making a public plea to ease restrictions on its allies.
And it seems to be working.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron became the latest high-level supporter of the idea. He suggested that Ukraine should be allowed to strike military facilities inside Russia that launch missiles into Ukrainian territory, an obvious compromise position.
He was joined by German leader Olaf Scholz, who opposed the idea but agreed to the concept on Tuesday.
It comes as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly pleaded with Ukraine to allow it to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia, saying it hinders Kiev’s ability to “defend itself.” This is a view shared by several European members of the alliance, including the UK, Sweden and Poland.
In earlier debates within the Biden administration over how far to go in arming Ukraine, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and CIA Director William Burns took a bolder stance, supporting the provision of longer-range missiles and other weapons, often favoring the following. appeals from legislators and European governments.
On Wednesday, Blinken also left room for change on that issue.
“We did not encourage or allow strikes outside of Ukraine. Ukraine, as I said before, has to make its own decisions about the best way to defend itself effectively,” he said on Thursday during a trip to Europe that will include a NATO meeting. According to him, the “characteristic sign” of the US support to Ukraine is “accommodation”.
Blinken added: “As conditions changed, as the battlefield changed, so did what Russia did.” “We’ve adapted and adapted and I’m sure we’ll continue to do so.”