Kiev Has Autonomy to Determine Usage of US Weapons

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in Kiev that the US will not prevent Ukraine from launching deep strikes into Russian territory using American weapons. While Washington does not actively encourage such actions, it also does not oppose them, according to Blinken.

The Pentagon is reportedly preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at up to $6 billion, which will include various defense systems, rockets, missiles, drones, and counter-drone weapons, as reported by Politico.

 Following the passage of a $61 billion aid bill, President Joe Biden signed off on sending $1 billion worth of ammunition from US military stocks to Kiev to support Ukraine in its conflict.

Blinken emphasized that the US has not promoted or facilitated strikes outside of Ukraine, but ultimately it is up to Ukraine to decide how to conduct the war.

During a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, Blinken reiterated that Ukraine will make its own decisions and that Washington is dedicated to providing the necessary equipment for Ukraine to succeed in battle.

Previously, reports indicated that Washington had discouraged Ukraine from using US-supplied weapons to strike beyond its borders.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron openly stated that Ukraine had the right to use long-range missiles provided by the UK to target Russian territory, a statement that was met with condemnation from Moscow, leading to a warning from Russia about potential retaliation if British weapons were used in Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that a possible response could include targeting British military facilities and equipment in Ukraine and beyond. In response, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has suggested that Kiev might utilize British weapons to strike Russia’s Crimean Peninsula.

London maintains that Crimea is an essential part of Ukraine, despite its annexation by Russia in 2014. Additionally, the Russian Defense Ministry has accused the Ukrainian military of employing British weapons in terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure and populations in Donbass and other Russian regions.