US Officially Confirms Authorization for Ukraine to Use Long-Range Weapons on Russian Territory

US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols officially confirmed that the White House has authorized Ukraine to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russian territory.

"The weapons President Biden has authorized Ukraine to use will provide it with greater self-defense capabilities and, with some luck, may help Russia understand that using force to seize Ukrainian territory will not succeed. This could potentially lead to peace negotiations or, even better, a full withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. Ultimately, it is up to Russia to decide whether this war continues or not," Nichols stated.

He emphasized that this decision could serve as a signal to Russia about the futility of using force to seize Ukrainian land.

"The war can end right now if Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine and begins to respect its borders," Nichols added.

On November 17, it was reported that the Biden administration had lifted restrictions on Ukraine using US-supplied weapons for deep strikes into Russian territory. According to officials, these weapons are expected to target Russian and North Korean forces, bolstering the defense of Ukrainian troops in Russia’s western Kursk region.

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, confirmed on November 18 that the Biden administration had authorized the use of US weapons for strikes up to 300 kilometers (190 miles) inside Russian territory.