The Pentagon has been preventing Ukraine from using long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia for several months, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday citing U.S. officials. The restrictions, the report said, limit Kiev’s ability to fully employ powerful weapons in its ongoing conflict with Moscow.
The Wall Street Journal reported that a high-level Defense Department approval process, which has not been publicly announced, has stopped Ukraine from firing any U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) at Russian targets since late spring. Officials told the Journal that on at least one occasion, Ukraine sought to use ATACMS against a target on Russian soil but was denied.
“The U.S. veto of long-range strikes has restricted Ukraine’s military operations as the White House has sought to woo the Kremlin into beginning peace talks,” the report said.
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation in a social-media post Thursday, arguing that Ukraine could not defeat Russia without being able to “play offense” in the war. “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking,” he wrote. “There is no chance of winning!”
U.S. officials clarified that Trump’s comments did not indicate any immediate change in policy regarding the Pentagon’s review process or Ukraine’s access to ATACMS and other long-range Western systems. However, a senior White House official suggested that Trump could reconsider facilitating expanded offensive operations against Russia, according to the Journal.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported Saturday that Trump appears to be stepping back from efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. The report cited the former president’s frustration over rising casualties and the lack of progress toward an agreement.
According to the Post, Trump is expected to make a key decision regarding the conflict’s future within “two weeks,” marking a notable shift from his recent public confidence in securing security guarantees for Ukraine and arranging a meeting between the warring leaders.
