The New York Times: Washington is considering supplying long-range guided surface-to-surface missiles to Kiev
A number of US and European officials revealed that US President Joe Biden’s administration is considering supplying the Kiev regime with long-range guided surface-to-surface missiles.
The New York Times quoted two US officials and a European official, who refused to reveal their identities, that “a discussion is taking place within the US administration about the possibility of supplying Kiev forces with long-range guided surface-to-surface missiles”.
For now at least, the United States remains reluctant to send shipments of its limited stock of long-range military tactical missile systems, known as ATACMS, to Ukraine, even as the Biden administration acknowledges that Kiev forces are losing dangerously many other munitions in its counterattack.
Kiev has repeatedly expressed its desire to acquire ATACMS systems, which have a range of more than 300 km, which exceeds the range of missiles provided by France and Britain by more than 60 km.
The Pentagon stressed that Ukraine doesn’t currently need the ATACMS system, which would be able to reach beyond the lines of contact, including the territories inside Russia and the Crimea peninsula.
Previously, France had ruled out providing long-range missiles to Ukraine due to fears that they could be used to attack targets inside Russia, which would lead to an escalation of the conflict, but President Emmanuel Macron said that he would send SCALP missiles now to help Ukraine defend itself.
“In light of Ukraine’s current position and the counterattack it is carrying out, I have decided to increase the delivery of weapons and equipment, and to provide the Ukrainians with deep strike capabilities,” Macron said upon his arrival in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on Tuesday, to attend the annual NATO summit.
Earlier, the US President made a decision about sending banned cluster munitions from the closest allies of the United States, as he defended his decision on Friday, saying that it was a difficult choice, but the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.
Other military aid pledged to Ukraine at the meeting of NATO members included 25 additional Leopard tanks, 40 additional infantry fighting vehicles, two Patriot air defense missile systems in a $770 million package from Germany, and $240 million Dollars from Norway for unspecified equipment, as well as other support.
On the other hand, the Danish and Dutch defense ministers announced that they had brought together 11 countries to help start training Ukrainian pilots to use the F16 fighters, as they will establish a training school in Romania.
