US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to strike targets in Russia, reports the New York Times. Active debates are currently underway regarding easing the restrictions.
“The proposal, pressed by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken after a sobering visit to Kyiv last week, is still in the formative stages, and it is not clear how many of his colleagues among Mr. Biden’s inner circle have signed on. It has not yet been formally presented to the president, who has traditionally been the most cautious, officials said,” the article states.
This permission encompasses targeting missile and artillery launchers positioned near the Russian border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that these targets facilitated Moscow’s recent territorial gains.
“Moscow’s forces have placed weapons right across the border from northeastern Ukraine, and aimed them at Kharkiv – knowing the Ukrainians would only be able to use non-American drones and other weaponry to target them in response,” NYT writes.
Antony Blinken also actively advocates for Ukraine’s accession to NATO. During a meeting of foreign ministers of Alliance member countries last month, he stated that Ukraine will become a NATO member. “Our purpose at the summit is to help build a bridge to that membership,” he said, according to The Hill.
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