Joe Biden may not have gotten the memo that he won the presidential election and will leave the White House at the end of January. It is an odd moment to announce a significant—and perhaps escalating—shift toward Ukraine as they attempt to stave off Russian aggressiveness in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Biden revealed on Sunday that the U.S. government has approved of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team firing long-range missiles supplied by the U.S. at targets in Russia.
According to a U.S. official, and three sources familiar with the issue, President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the United States to attack even deeper into Russia. This is the latest relaxation of restrictions meant to stop the conflict from spiraling out of control.
The decision to allow Ukraine to use its Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMs) for attacks further into Russia is made at a time when thousands of North Korean soldiers have been deployed to a region near Ukraine’s northern borders to help Russia retake the ground. Also, Donald Trump, the President-elect, has expressed his skepticism about the continued support from the United States.
Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned previously that the use of such missiles would be an act of warfare. In September, he stated:
“This (the missiles), will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European nations – are at War with Russia.” If this is true, we will take appropriate measures to respond to the threats posed by Russia, taking into account the new nature of the conflict,” Putin told journalists on Thursday, September 12.
He gave some reasons for his answer:
Only military personnel from NATO nations can enter flight assignments for these missile systems. Ukrainian servicemen are not allowed to do this. It is therefore not a matter of whether or not the Ukrainian regime can use these weapons to attack Russia. It is up to the decision-makers whether NATO countries are directly involved in the conflict. …”
He added, “If this decision is made it will mean nothing but the direct participation by NATO countries, United States, and European countries in the war in Ukraine.”
Putin has yet to respond to Biden’s announcement on Sunday.
Biden avoided reporters as he normally does:
President-elect Trump and Vice President Biden had a surprisingly friendly meeting at the White House on Wednesday, during which both men stressed the importance of a smooth transition. It’s even more bizarre to announce such significant policy changes at a time when they could lead us into a full-scale conflict.
The American people are speaking, and they want Trump, not a lame-duck president whose abilities were questioned to the point that he was forced to withdraw from the presidential race.
It’s just too important.
