US will allow Ukraine to strike with weapons at greater distance on territory of Russian Federation, if it tries to expand current front - State Department
The US State Department has stated that if Russia tries to expand the current front in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be allowed to fire at a greater distance, including with long-range ATACMS missiles.
This was stated by Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs James O'Brien during a hearing at the House Committee on International Relations, Censor.NET reports citing Voice of America.
According to US lawmakers, the White House is currently restricting the use of US weapons in Russia within 100 kilometers of the Ukrainian border.
Now, as Jake Sullivan (US National Security Advisor - ed.) said last week, if Russia tries to expand the front, Ukraine will be allowed to reach targets at a greater distance," O'Brien said.
The State Department noted that Russia is losing its ability to attack due to Ukraine's destruction of Russian forces near its borders.
O'Brien stressed that the US priority was to provide weapons and concentrate them "in the areas of greatest need".
"We are seeing a dramatic change in Russia's ability to sustain its campaign against Ukraine due to the loss of facilities in the area where it is allowed to fire," he added.
During the committee hearing, Republican Thomas Kean noted that the change in policy to allow Ukraine to strike targets on Russian territory occurred only after the start of a new Russian offensive near Kharkiv. And even then, according to the Republican, "the administration resorted to half-measures".
Currently, the demand to lift restrictions on the use of US weapons by Ukraine has bipartisan support among both Republicans and Democrats, Republican Joe Wilson added during the committee meeting.
As previously reported, the United States has restricted the use of US weapons to strike the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are prohibited from attacking targets more than 100 km from the border and from striking key Russian airfields.
