President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-provided long-range weapons inside Russia for limited strikes, according to two U.S. officials.
Longtime restrictions are being eased as North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to the Kursk region of Russia to support Russian troops fighting Ukrainian forces.
The new authority applies to Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, which Ukrainian officials have sought from the Biden administration.
U.S. officials had resisted, citing concerns over limited stockpile, the repositioning of Russian assets outside of ATACMS range and the fact that Ukraine has been using other assets with success, primarily drones, making ATACMS less critical to the fight.
But Biden officials have condemned the North Korean deployment as a possible expansion of the war. The ATACMS could be used in and around Kursk.
The Defense Department and the White House both declined to comment.
Responding to a question from NBC News, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday that the move would represent “a qualitatively new leap of tension and a qualitatively new situation with regard to the U.S. involvement in this conflict."
Peskov pointed to comments earlier this year by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a speech in St. Petersburg, in which he suggested that Moscow could provide arms to countries to hit Western targets in response.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that he is “encouraged” by the decision but that it “does not excuse the administration’s deliberate slow-walking of items and assistance long authorized by Congress for use against Putin’s illegal aggression.”
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, also applauded the decision in a statement but called it “overdue.”
“Ukraine can’t properly defend itself if one hand is tied behind its back,” he said.
Wicker’s and Turner’s offices said in statements that they had been asking the Biden administration to remove restrictions on the full use of ATACMS.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and President-elect Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., both criticized the decision, implying it could lead to World War III.
“On his way out of office, Joe Biden is dangerously trying to start WWIII by authorizing Ukraine the use of U.S. long range missiles into Russia,” Greene said on X. “The American people gave a mandate on Nov 5th against these exact America last decisions and do NOT want to fund or fight foreign wars.”
In May, Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to use American weapons to strike Russia just over the border. At the time, Ukraine was prohibited from using longer-range weapons to strike deeper into the country, sources told NBC News.
The U.S. policy shift comes at the tail end of Biden's time in office. Trump has vowed to limit U.S. support for Ukraine and end its war with Russia.
The U.S. has provided $175 billion in aid to Ukraine — more than any other country — making American support crucial to Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Withdrawing support could deal a major blow to Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia’s attacks.
On Sunday, Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles in Ukraine that killed at least seven people and severely damaged the power infrastructure.
