Washington DC [US], November 18: US President Joe Biden has authorised the use of long-range missiles by Ukraine to target the deepest part of Russia, the New York Times reported on Sunday.
The missiles could be used in the Kursk region of western Russia to defend Ukrainian forces against Russian and North Korean offensives, the New York Times quoted US officials as saying.
This comes as President-elect Donald Trump is set to assume charge. In earlier statements, Trump has called to bring an end to the war.
As per the officials, Ukraine will be allowed to use the long-range missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, the New York Times reported.
Biden’s decision comes in response to Russia’s surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight, officials told the New York Times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not confirmed the permission to strike but suggested on Sunday that more important than lifting the restrictions would be the number of missiles used to strike the Russians.
“Today, many in the media are talking about the fact that we have received permission to take appropriate actions,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. “But blows are not inflicted with words. Such things are not announced. The rockets will speak for themselves.”
Earlier, Zelenskyy expressed optimism that Trump’s administration could expedite the resolution of the ongoing war with Russia, Anadolu reported.
Zelenskyy made the remarks during an interview with public broadcaster Suspilne, where he reflected on US-Ukraine relations and past discussions with Trump regarding the conflict, which began in 2022.
Addressing whether Trump had urged Ukraine to negotiate with Russia, Zelenskyy clarified, “We are an independent country. And we, during this war, both our people and I, personally, are in negotiations with the United States, with both Trump and Biden and with European leaders, proved that the ‘sit and listen’ rhetoric doesn’t work with us.”
Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States after securing 295 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, defeating Democratic rival Kamala Harris, who garnered 226 votes. Following his victory, President-elect Donald Trump has moved swiftly with finalising his foreign policy and national security team ahead of his formal inauguration in January 2025.