The United States spokesperson said that the arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine does not change the US stance on restricting Ukraine from striking deep inside Russia. 

In May, the US allowed Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons for limited strikes inside Russian territory near Kharkiv and other bordering oblasts, but not long-range attacks into Russia. 

 When questioned about potential changes to weapon use permissions, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, replied that his answer hadn’t changed. 

“My answer has not changed. We constantly look at the needs of the Ukrainian military, assess the security situation, and try to be responsive to their needs,” he said on the press briefing.

He emphasized that this approach has been consistent since the beginning of the conflict.

 Miller explained that decisions about weapons provision and any associated restrictions are made through an ongoing evaluation of the war dynamics. 

However, when pressed on the possibility of NATO countries expanding their role in intercepting Russian missiles over Ukraine, Miller was more cautious. He declined to offer a specific stance, noting that such a decision would require collective agreement among NATO members.

This discussion comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is advocating for a NATO coalition to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine following recent incidents involving Russian missiles crossing into Polish territory. Poland showed willingness to participate, but NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed reservations due to concerns about escalation with Russia. 

In June, the US officials confirmed that Ukraine used American-supplied HIMARS to conduct strikes inside Russia, specifically to defend Kharkiv. The White House permitted this under the condition of targeting military threats close to the border but not using long-range missiles like ATACMS. 

This limited permission still allowed to lessen the intensity of the Russian missile attacks on Kharkiv, a city located on the border with Russia. 

Related:

• Ukraine’s “hands tied” by US weapons restrictions to strike inside Russia
• Zelenskyy praises Western permission to use its weapons to strike inside Russia at G7 Summit, calls for more “Patriots” and F-16 jets
• Latvian FM Braže calls for immediate lifting of restrictions for Ukraine on strikes inside Russia’s territory
• Danish PM: Ukraine’s strikes by Danish-supplied F-16 inside Russia depend on circumstances, must follow law