The geopolitical issue of the moment involving the conflict in Ukraine is whether NATO powers will fully authorize Kiev to fire their long-range missiles towards targets inside Russian territory – a heavy escalation move that can potentially invite retaliations by Moscow of an unknown nature.
With yesterday’s visit to Kiev by US State Secretary Anthony Blinken and UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the news cycle was saturated with a variety of versions about this decision, from Russian sources saying that the authorization had already been given, up until Politico’s version that ‘Ukraine’s Russia strike ban hopes dashed’ and no such agreement had been made.
At last a version has arisen in which the US has first asked to see Zelensky’s plan of how he wants to use these missiles, and what he wishes to accomplish with that.
This version emphasizes that the US and the UK ‘were open to Ukraine’s request’ to use western-provided weapons to strike deeper into Russia, despite their clear concerns that this could further escalate the conflict.
Bloomberg reported:
“During a visit to Kiev on Wednesday, the two countries’ top diplomats didn’t rule out agreeing to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request but said President Joe Biden would discuss the matter more when he meets Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington later this week.”
The US has so far publicly blocked the use of US-provided weapons to hit targets deeper in Russia.
Doing so, officials say, might only deepen the conflict and put the US in a position of a direct participant in the war.
But the news of Iran sending ballistic missiles to Russia may lead Washington – and London – to change their tone.
Read: Iran Has Supplied Russia With Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles: US Sources
“’I’m going take this discussion back to Washington to brief the president on what I heard’, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the same briefing. ‘We have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed and I have no doubt we’ll continue to do that’.”
Blinken and Lammy heard Zelensky’s plan to striking deeper into Russian territory and his longer-term strategy into next year.
The presentation included what Kiev wants to target and why.
the Ukrainian president said he would reinforce his plea to soften weapons restrictions in a meeting with Biden later this month in New York, where world leaders will gather for the UN General Assembly’s annual high-level debate.
The UN General Assembly later this month will be another opportunity to discuss the issue.
The UK has already indicated ‘it’s open’ to Ukraine striking military targets inside Russia with Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles.
“Late last month, Zelensky said he would lay out a ‘victory plan’ to force Russia to halt its invasion when he meets with Biden, though didn’t offer specifics. He said he would also brief the US presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, on the plan.”
Former President Trump already said that he wants the war to stop. He claimed that, if elected, he’d resolve the war before taking office.
“And while Blinken indicated he’s more amenable to a policy change, others in the Biden administration, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, have expressed reluctance. During a meeting with defense chiefs last week at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Austin told reporters that no specific weapon would be a game changer in Russia’s war.”
The Biden administration has been facing pressure from some NATO allies to take a more aggressive stance, but officials say that there’s no consensus within NATO and a policy change isn’t imminent.
Read more:
After Ukrainians AGAIN Ask for Permission To Shoot US Missiles Deep Into Russian Territory, Biden Regime Replies That They Are ‘Running Out of ATACMS’ To Give Them
The post Zelensky Presents Blinken With Plan for Long-Range Missile Strikes Deep Into Russia – Biden Under Pressure to ‘Adjust’ His Policy and Authorize the Use of US-Provided Weapons appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.