Maduro condemns Western imperialism saying its in phase of madness
Date
11/20/2024 1:13:01 AM
(MENAFN) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned the reported decision by U.S. President Joe Biden to authorize Ukraine to use long-range missiles to target Russian territory. The announcement, which was covered by several Western media outlets, also mentioned that the UK and France might have followed suit, though France later clarified it is still evaluating its position.
Speaking at the closing of the National congress of the Bolivarian Historic Bloc in Caracas, Maduro referred to the U.S., UK, and France as the "Holy Alliance of Evil" for allegedly approving the use of long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike Russia. He described the current moment as a phase of "madness and revenge" driven by North American imperialism.
On Sunday, *The New York Times* reported that Biden had given Ukraine the green light to deploy U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles against Russian forces, particularly in Russia’s Kursk Region, where fierce fighting is ongoing. The report also mentioned the supposed presence of North Korean forces in the region, a claim used by some to justify the policy shift, though there is no verified evidence of North Korean troops in Russia.
Later, the French newspaper *Le Figaro* claimed that both France and the UK had also agreed to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with their SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles. However, this claim was subsequently retracted.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot clarified that Paris is still considering whether to permit the use of SCALP missiles for strikes on Russian territory, noting that President Emmanuel Macron had stated in May that such an option was under review.
Ukraine has already used these long-range missiles to strike targets in Russian-annexed regions such as Crimea but has been pressing the West for permission to target Russian territory itself. Neither the U.S. government nor the Pentagon has commented on the reports.
The Kremlin reacted sharply, warning that if the reports are confirmed, it would represent a significant escalation in the conflict, effectively making NATO countries direct participants in the war against Russia. President Vladimir Putin had previously warned that such an expansion of attacks using Western weapons would "change the nature of the conflict" and could lead to direct NATO involvement.
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