The Biden administration is now weighing adopting a plan backed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that would allow Ukraine to strike Russia with U.S.-provided weapons.
The New York Times reported this week that the State Department, led by Secretary Antony Blinken, is pushing the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to strike missile and artillery sites within Russia that America provided for the state’s protracted conflict with Russia.
Victoria Nuland, who left her job as the number three position at the State Department, said, “I think if the attacks are coming directly from over the line in Russia, that those bases ought to be fair game.”
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said, “This is part of our defense. How can we protect ourselves from these attacks? This is the only way.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a commemorative event on the occasion of the Russia Ukraine war one year anniversary in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP).
This proposed dramatic escalation follows after Johnson said he supports the proposed move to strike Russia.
“I think we need to allow Ukraine to prosecute the war the way they see fit. They need to be able to fight back. And I think us trying to micromanage the effort there – it’s not a good policy for us,” the Louisiana congressman said.
The idea first originated from House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Turner (R-OH), Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-CT), and other committee members, calling on the Biden administration to adopt this escalation in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
They wrote:
Our Ukrainian allies are requesting permission to use certain weapons provided by the United States to conduct operations on strategic targets inside Russian and Russian-controlled territory. According to a May 14th report by Politico, the Biden Administration’s current policy is handcuffing Ukraine’s ability to push back on Russian forces near Kharkiv with U.S.-origin weapons. Ukrainian officials have watched for weeks as Russian troops have attacked Ukrainian communities from Russian territory with impunity. Ukrainians have been unable to defend themselves due to the Administration’s current policy. It is essential the Biden Administration allows Ukraine’s military leaders an ability to conduct a full spectrum of operations necessary to respond to Russia’s unprovoked attack on their sovereign land [emphasis added].
They concluded in their letter to Austin, “We ask that you work with us to expedite resources as our friends in Ukraine continue to defend their territory against Russia’s brutal assault and aggression.”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
