Biden to allow Ukraine to use US weapons inside Russia: Reports | Russia-Ukraine war News

The move comes as Joe Biden enters his final months in office, when Donald Trump is believed to favor Russia.

The outgoing President of the United States, Joe Biden, will allow Ukraine to use the weapons provided by the US to strike inside Russia, reported various news channels, including Reuters, the Associated Press and the New York Times.

Three sources familiar with the matter, including two US officials, told Reuters on Sunday that Ukraine was planning a long-range attack using weapons in the coming days.

The White House did not comment on the reports, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the missiles “will speak for themselves”.

“Today, many in the media say that we have received permission to take appropriate measures,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the Ukrainian people. “But strikes are not done with words. Such things are not announced. The arrows will speak for themselves.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed the reports, saying the US was responding to Russia “in the language of the past.” [Russian President Vladimir] Putin understands”.

Vladimir Dzhabarov, a Russian lawmaker, said that allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia with US-supplied missiles would lead to a third world war, according to state news agency TASS. The lawyer added that Russia's response would be immediate.

Biden's move comes as he prepares to leave office in two months, with President-elect Donald Trump taking office on January 20.

Trump and members of his incoming administration have expressed reluctance to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, and it is unclear whether Trump will reverse the decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied weapons inside Russia.

The Republican leader has promised to quickly end the war, but has yet to provide details on how he will do so.

Ukraine is expected to use US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles (306km), sources told Reuters, as Kyiv takes advantage of US dominance. Zelenskyy has been pushing for months for permission to use the weapons against targets deep inside Russian territory.

Moscow has warned that it will see any move by Washington to loosen restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons as a major escalation.

The US decision marks a major shift in policy, and boosts the Ukrainian government, which has struggled to stop Russian attacks on its cities and power stations.

Biden has long opposed moves to use US weapons against Russia, however, fearing it would draw the US and its NATO allies into direct conflict with Russia.

But the president appears to have backed off, after the war's momentum shifted to Russia. North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to support Russia as it tries to retake the Kursk region it lost to Ukraine.

And Moscow believes that Trump is likely to be a more favorable negotiator, and one that could force Kyiv to relinquish territory currently controlled by Russia in eastern and southern Ukraine.