The conflict in Ukraine is intensifying due to North Korean military involvement, the authorization of striking within Russian territory with U.S. long-range, and Moscow’s warnings of a potential World War III.
The majority of European Union (EU) member states have expressed support for President Joe Biden’s decision to permit Ukraine to employ U.S.-provided long-range weapons for strikes inside Russia.
On Monday, during a scheduled meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged member states to follow the U.S. lead in approving this measure.
Polish President Andrzej Duda mentioned, “This decision was very necessary. Russia sees that Ukraine enjoys strong support and that the West’s position is unyielding and determined.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot publicly stated, “We openly said that this was an option that we would consider if it was to allow to strike targets from where Russians are currently aggressing Ukrainian territory. Nothing new under the sun.”
As a result, the UK and France, which have already supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles boasting a range of approximately 155 miles (250 kilometers), are expected to align with the U.S. decision soon.
On Sunday, The New York Times reported, quoting the official, “Allowing the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, came in response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight.“
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the decision during a press briefing, stating, “It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps, and they have been talking about this, to continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict.” Russian state media, including TASS, reported his comments.
Peskov warned that the operation of weapons like ATACMS and the collection and input of target data signify a new phase of U.S. involvement in the conflict. He asserted that only Western experts could perform these tasks, which Russia would consider direct U.S. intervention.
In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine couldn’t strike Russian territory with long-range weapons without Western satellite intelligence and data. He argued that approving the use of such weapons would amount to direct U.S. and European involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Maria Butina, a member of the Russian State Duma, warned Reuters that the U.S. decision increases the risk of a third world war.
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, issued a threat on Telegram, stating that if Ukraine attacks Russian territory with Western long-range missiles, Russia might deploy new weapon systems not yet used in Ukrainian territory.
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