Biden admin now says US may give Ukraine long-range missiles that can strike Russia

It has been revealed that the United States may provide Ukraine with long-range ballistic missiles as part of the latest foreign aid package making its way through Congress, despite promises from the president that this course of action would not be taken, given the risk of escalation. 

While the Biden administration has sent a slew of US-developed Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to the war-torn nation, they have thus far only been older medium-range models.  This would mark the first time those capable of flying over 300km and striking targets in Russian-controlled Crimea were provided. 

According to NBC News, sources in the defense department familiar with the matter said that the US has a limited number of long-range ATACMS in its stockpile, meaning they would only be made available to Ukraine if a foreign aid package successfully passes in the House and secures more funding to replenish the inventory. 

The sources informed the outlet that, alternatively, the US could call on allies to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles and use the funding to pay to replace their stock. 

On Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sat down with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Munich. During the meeting, NBC News reports, Kuleba said he "spent a very good part of the time arguing in favor of ATACMS." 

"There is only one way to destroy Russian capabilities in Ukraine," he explained. "It's to hit deep into the occupied territories, bypassing Russian radio electronic warfare and interceptors." 

Kuleba referred to ATACMS as "an important symbol" in Ukraine, adding, "If you want to hit behind the lines, disrupt their logistics and supplies, destroy their depots of ammunition, you can only do it with long-range missiles." 

In May 2022, Biden made it very clear that the US had no intentions of sending Ukraine "rocket systems that can strike Russia." Since then, Ukrainian officials have pushed for the weapons, with President Zelensky saying the war will not be over until Crimea is reunited with Ukraine.