It appears that the USA allows Ukraine to utilize American weapons against Russia.
It seems Western weapons provided to Ukraine can only be used on their own land at the moment. Recently, US President Biden seems to have given the go-ahead for attacks on Russian land, but with strict limitations.
Reports suggest the US government has authorized Ukraine to use US weapons in limited doses against targets on Russian territory. This applies only to counterattacks to defend the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, says US media outlets like Politico and CNN. The Ukrainian military should be in a position to take action against Russian forces that are assaulting or planning to attack, a US government spokesperson told Politico.
The US requirement that Ukraine not use weapons acquired from the country for offensives within Russia has not altered, said US government sources.
The debate among NATO countries over whether Ukraine can use all the weapons supplied by the West for attacks on military targets in Russia is ongoing. Ukraine has been pushing for this for a while, aiming to more efficiently counter Russian positions in the long-running conflict. Till now, the country has mainly employed its own rockets and drones for this purpose. Western weapons thus far have primarily been used against Russian positions found in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Some countries, such as the US and Germany, have attached strict stipulations to the provision of certain systems. The reason for these conditions is the worry that the war with Russia might escalate further and that NATO may get involved. Specifically, the conditions entail that Ukraine should not use Patriot missile defense systems to shoot down Russian aircraft in Russian airspace, so as to prevent these missiles or glide bombs from being fired at Ukraine.
Recently, there have been hints of a potential shift in stance by Biden's administration. While visiting Moldova on Wednesday, Blinken hinted at the possibility of the US reconsidering its firm opposition to Ukrainian attacks on targets on Russian soil. Since the start of the war, the US government has adjusted its support for Ukraine according to the shifting conditions on the battlefield, Blinken stressed during his Moldova visit. "And that's what we'll do in the future."
The US is the primary arms supplier for Kiev, making its stance significant. The US has thus far provided weapons to Ukraine to help liberate its occupied territories, but not for attacks on Russian targets. The general US stance on Ukraine not using American weapons for offensive assaults against Russian targets stays unchanged - despite the recent exception.
As mentioned in Moldova, "the Ukraine should not use American weapons for offensive attacks against Russian targets has not changed". However, Blinken did imply a possible change of course by saying, "US might relax its rigid opposition to Ukrainian attacks on targets on Russian territory". Legal experts argue that international law permits states that are attacked to retaliate by attacking the aggressor, even on their own soil. The origin of the weapons wouldn't hold any legal significance.
Read also:
- Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, hinted at a potential shift in the USA's stance towards Ukraine's use of American weapons against Russian targets during his visit to Moldova.
- Despite the recent exception, the US State Department has maintained its general position that Ukraine should not use American weapons for offensive assaults against Russian territory.
- As the primary arms supplier for Ukraine, the USA's stance on this issue holds significant weight in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
