Military experts believe that the US policy prohibiting Ukraine from using American weaponry to attack targets inside Russia is giving the invader an important advantage as it develops its recent offensive in the northern Kharkiv region.
The latest offensive began on May 10, but Kharkiv itself – Ukraine’s second-largest city – has come under daily missile attack since the full-scale war began in February 2022.
The city of about 1.4 million people, now crowded with refugees from the surrounding towns and villages, has become something of a symbol of continuing Ukrainian resistance.
Being able to use the powerful, long-range weapons supplied by its western allies would allow Ukraine to strike at targets across the border in Russia. This would help Kyiv’s military planners shape the wider battlefield in their favour. As it stands, Russia can mass forces and supplies in relative safety as its key infrastructure, such as air bases and supply depots, lie just across the border. […]
On a visit to Kyiv on May 15, US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, implied that the time might be right to allow Ukraine to use US weapon systems to strike at targets across the border, saying: “We have not encouraged or enabled strikes outside of Ukraine, but ultimately Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it’s going to conduct this war.”
There has been no official policy shift, but the removal of this limitation on Kyiv’s use of US weapons systems would mark a significant moment in the conflict. Despite all the setbacks of the past year, Kyiv has largely adhered to this rule, mindful that serious violations could curb foreign support.
Several of Ukraine’s allies have given the green light for Kyiv to use their weapon systems within Russian territory. The UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, recently said during a visit to Kyiv that Ukraine “absolutely has the right to strike back at Russia.” It appears that France is poised to follow suit. Läs artikel