UK, France intend on pushing Biden to escalate Ukraine war
Date
11/12/2024 8:05:52 AM
(MENAFN) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel macron are pushing U.S. President Joe Biden to permit Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia using Western weapons, according to *The Telegraph*. The UK and France have already provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow/Scalp cruise missiles, and the U.S. has some influence over their deployment, given its role in supplying components for these European-made long-range weapons. Despite repeated requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden has rejected allowing such strikes, citing the risk of significantly escalating the conflict.
According to sources close to the matter, Starmer and Macron are making a final attempt to change U.S. policy before Biden’s term ends, particularly to counter Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed intentions to reduce U.S. support for Ukraine. Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, has claimed that he could end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours” by pressuring both Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a settlement.
Ukraine has argued that hitting targets deep inside Russia with Western long-range missiles could help shift the momentum of the war in its favor. Over the weekend, Ukraine launched several kamikaze drones at Moscow for the first time in months, though they reportedly caused no significant damage. Zelensky has insisted that Western missiles, which are more powerful than Ukrainian drones, could yield better results.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any such strikes, supported by the West, would be viewed as attacks by the countries providing the weapons, and Russia would respond accordingly.
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