The US administration’s sudden enthusiasm for authorising Ukraine’s use of advanced weaponry seems a classic case of too little, too late. But that is not to say it won’t still help to turn the tide of the war decisively in Kyiv’s favour.
Joe Biden’s belated decision to allow Kyiv to use long-range missiles against military targets in Russia comes after he spent most of the year resisting calls from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to use the weapons for their intended purpose – defeating Russian forces.
Now, after the Democrats were humiliated in the US elections, Biden has had a change of heart, promising to provide Ukraine with as much military aid as possible before he leaves office. This includes granting permission for Kyiv to deploy the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) against targets within Russian territory, as well as providing anti-personnel landmines.
Biden’s previous reluctance to approve the use of Western-supplied long-range missiles beyond Ukrainian borders has been the equivalent of obliging Ukraine’s military to fight with one hand tied behind its back.
The Russians have been able to attack Ukraine with impunity from the safety of their Russian bases, while the Ukrainians have been limited to attacking only those Russian positions located on Ukrainian soil – at least, so far as the missiles are concerned.
The US administration’s sudden enthusiasm for authorising Ukraine’s use of advanced weaponry seems a classic case of too little, too late. But that is not to say it won’t still help to turn the tide of the war decisively in Kyiv’s favour.
Joe Biden’s belated decision to allow Kyiv to use long-range missiles against military targets in Russia comes after he spent most of the year resisting calls from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to use the weapons for their intended purpose – defeating Russian forces.
Now, after the Democrats were humiliated in the US elections, Biden has had a change of heart, promising to provide Ukraine with as much military aid as possible before he leaves office. This includes granting permission for Kyiv to deploy the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) against targets within Russian territory, as well as providing anti-personnel landmines.
Biden’s previous reluctance to approve the use of Western-supplied long-range missiles beyond Ukrainian borders has been the equivalent of obliging Ukraine’s military to fight with one hand tied behind its back.
The Russians have been able to attack Ukraine with impunity from the safety of their Russian bases, while the Ukrainians have been limited to attacking only those Russian positions located on Ukrainian soil – at least, so far as the missiles are concerned.