OAN’s James Meyers
2:30 PM – Friday, May 31, 2024
The Biden administration has given the green light for Ukraine to use American-made weapons to strike inside Russia, marking a major reversal of policy.
Advertisement
A senior U.S. official confirmed that President Joe Biden signed off on Ukraine’s use of U.S. long-range weapons near the city of Kharkiv, which is the second largest city in the Eastern European nation.
“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S. supplied-weapons for counterfire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” one of the officials said.
The lessened restrictions mark a break from long-standing policy and comes amid growing international pressure from U.S. allies.
Antony Blinken visited Ukraine earlier this month and reiterated on the trip that the U.S. would make sure to put Ukraine in a “position where it can deter and defend against future attacks.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also urged the U.S. and other nations to give Ukraine the capabilities it needs to go after targets inside Russia, according to multiple sources.
“To deny Ukraine the possibility of using these weapons against legitimate military targets on Russian territory makes it very hard for them to defend themselves,” Stoltenberg said last week.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh reiterated that there was “no change in policy” multiple times when she was asked about the policy during a briefing on Thursday afternoon.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts