Russia has issued a stark warning to the West, cautioning that allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons could drag NATO into a direct conflict with Moscow. This warning comes amid ongoing discussions between U.S. and U.K. officials about whether to ease restrictions on Kyiv’s use of Western-supplied weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been urging his Western allies for months to provide longer-range missiles, such as the U.S.-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles. These weapons would allow Ukraine to target Russian military infrastructure far beyond its borders. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has now responded, stating that such a move would escalate the war and force Russia to take “appropriate decisions” in response to the new threats.
Putin’s statement follows U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Ukraine, during which Blinken confirmed that the U.S. is reviewing Ukraine’s request for longer-range weapons. Blinken also reassured Ukraine that Washington is willing to adjust its support as necessary. Despite this, the Pentagon has reiterated that current restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons remain in place. A Pentagon spokesperson dismissed Putin’s remarks as “irresponsible and dangerous,” but added that, at this point, there is no need to adjust the U.S. military’s strategic posture.
“This kind of nuclear saber-rattling isn’t new. It’s very irresponsible, it’s dangerous,” the Pentagon spokesperson said, referring to Putin’s veiled threats. “But we have not seen anything that indicates we need to adjust our strategic force posture. We’ll continue to monitor that, but at this point, there’s been no change to our posture.”
U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to discuss Ukraine’s requests for long-range missiles during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House. Starmer responded to Putin’s warnings, emphasizing that Russia started the war and that only Russia can end it.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are continuing their offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, though Zelensky acknowledged that Moscow’s troops are striking back. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky said Russian forces have launched counteroffensive actions but that Ukraine’s incursions are proceeding according to plan.
