White House finalizing plans to expand locations Ukraine can hit inside Russia

The White House is finalizing a plan to ease restrictions on how Ukraine can utilize US-donated weapons, aiming to better defend against Russian missiles and expand Ukraine's operational reach within Russia.
 
Recent discussions, involving officials from Washington, London, and Kyiv, have focused on allowing Ukraine to target a larger area within Russia using American and British-made weapons, including potentially long-range missiles containing US components, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This policy shift marks a significant departure from earlier summer discussions and suggests the Biden administration may be preparing to grant Ukraine more leeway in its military actions. The National Security Council has declined to comment, but the urgency of the talks has increased following confirmation that Iran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia.

Previously, the US had resisted calls to lift all restrictions on long-range weapons, citing concerns over escalating tensions with Moscow and the potential for Russia to relocate high-value targets out of range. The US also faced limitations due to dwindling stocks of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), with Lockheed Martin's production primarily allocated to allies and the new Precision Strike Missile not yet fully deployed.

Discussions have included the possibility of Ukraine using British Storm Shadow missiles to strike within Russia, though no final decision has been made. This topic is expected to be discussed further when President Biden meets with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Recent pressure from bipartisan US lawmakers and a visit by Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who presented a list of potential targets, have intensified the push for policy changes. Despite previous restrictions, there is growing support for expanding Ukraine's capabilities to counter Russian aggression, reflecting a shift towards a more aggressive stance in US and allied support for Ukraine.