EU’s Borrell affirms US retreat on Ukrainian long-range missile attacks
Date
11/20/2024 1:17:09 AM
(MENAFN) Josep Borrell, the EU's outgoing foreign policy chief, has confirmed that the United States has lifted its restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-supplied long-range missiles, including the ATACMS, to strike deep into Russian territory. This marks a significant policy shift by the Biden administration in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Borrell, speaking at a press conference on Monday, stated that the US had authorized the use of missiles with a range of up to 300km to hit targets in Russia, noting that this decision came after a long period of reluctance from Washington.
While the move represents a significant escalation, Borrell downplayed the extent of the decision, noting that the range of the missiles would not extend deeply into Russia. He also expressed uncertainty about the timing of the change, particularly in relation to the upcoming US presidential election. The decision contrasts with previous US policy, which had refrained from allowing Ukraine to target internationally recognized Russian territory for fear of escalating the conflict.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller declined to confirm any official policy changes. Borrell also addressed the positions of EU member states, emphasizing that the decision on whether to approve similar actions with European weapons, such as French and UK missiles, remains a matter for each individual country. The French government has said it is still considering the issue.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that such escalatory moves could lead to direct conflict between NATO and Russia, with potentially dire consequences, including nuclear war. He also suggested that Ukraine could not carry out such strikes without significant NATO involvement in providing targeting data.
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