US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia, a US official told AFP on condition of anonymity, confirming media reports.
The New York Times and The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reported that this major policy shift, long demanded by Ukraine, was in response to North Korea deploying troops to support Moscow's war effort.
The US official who spoke to AFP confirmed that these reports are accurate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently sought authorization from Washington to use the powerful Army Tactical Missile System, known by its initials as ATACMS, to strike targets within Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that such a green light would mean that NATO is "at war" with Russia, a threat he has previously made when Ukraine's supporters have escalated their military assistance to Kyiv.
This change in stance from the outgoing Biden administration was prompted by the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia, with Western intelligence reports suggesting that around 10,000 are being deployed, according to the newspapers.
US officials had previously indicated they believed the ATACMS missiles would have a limited impact on Ukraine's campaign, and they also wanted to ensure that Washington's own stocks of the munitions were not depleted.
The American shift is likely to have wider repercussions and could lead European allies to reassess their positions.
The United States and Britain have supplied Ukraine with ATACMS and Storm Shadow long-range missiles, respectively.
Germany has refused to provide Ukraine with its Taurus missiles, which have a range of over 500 kilometers (310 miles), due to concerns that they could strike Russian territory.
Biden's decision comes as he prepares to hand over power to President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to resolve the conflict through negotiations that may require Ukraine to cede territory.
(With AFP)
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