In a controversial move during his transition period, President Joe Biden escalated U.S. support for Ukraine by approving military contractor deployment, transferring anti-personnel mines, and authorizing ATACMS strikes on Russian territory. These actions aim to bolster Ukraine’s defenses before Biden’s successor takes office but risk international backlash, especially if Western missiles misfire. Russia responded with a test launch of its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, signaling strength while avoiding broader escalation. […]
What appears obvious is that Joe Biden is determined to leave as complicated a foreign policy legacy to his successor as possible and disrupt Donald Trump’s ambitions to bring peace between Russia and Ukraine. The impression is that Russia is being provoked into a reckless response, making peace negotiations with Putin far too difficult—even for Trump. The upcoming president’s approach to the conflict is not based on Russia’s defeat, but it may be unable to withstand serious escalation. This is what Trump reportedly warned Putin against doing. […]
Moscow chose to respond on the existing battlefield rather than attack Western interests globally. Launching Oreshnik, an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile without a nuclear warhead at an already thoroughly devastated Ukraine, served this purpose. The attack showed teeth without inflicting grave damage. Russia has shown that it has a weapon, previously unveiled, and was prepared to use it. Läs artikel