Biden Allows Ukraine to Use US-Supplied Missiles for Strikes Inside Russia

President Joe Biden will authorize Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to launch strikes against Russian territory, three sources familiar with the decision told Reuters and multiple news outlets on Sunday.
Ukraine has for months urged the U.S. to authorize long-range strikes into Russian territory, but the White House has resisted doing so over fears of escalation. However, Moscow’s decision to deploy North Korean soldiers to the Ukrainian front has changed the administration’s thinking.
The National Security Council (NSC) told Newsweek Sunday that it had nothing to provide on this report. The Pentagon also declined to comment.
Newsweek also reached out to the State Department and the Trump transition team by email on Sunday afternoon for comment.
Three sources familiar with the decision told Reuters that the first deep strikes are likely to occur in the coming days, with further details under wraps due to operational security concerns. The Ukrainian forces could use ATACMS rockets, which have a range of up to 190 miles, to launch the strikes.
North Korea recently sent around 10,000 of its elite troops to Kursk, a Russian region that Ukraine took over this summer when its forces made a major and unexpected push across the border.
The Biden administration fears that more North Korean special forces could deploy and bolster Russia’s forces. Vedant Patel, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, told reporters last week that Washington remains “incredibly concerned” about the Kursk development.
The decision drew immediate backlash as Biden is being accused of escalating the conflict with just months left in office. The President’s detractors highlight that President-elect Doanld Trump campaigned on a promise to end the conflict.
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “Libs love war” and “War facilitates bigger government” in response to news of Biden’s decision. Trump-backer Elon Musk retweeted Lee’s post with the message, “True.”
Venture capitalist and co-host of the All-In Podcast David Sacks also posted on X, writing: “President Trump won a clear mandate to end the war in Ukraine. So what does Biden do in his final two months in office? Massively escalate it. Is his goal to hand Trump the worst situation possible?”
Breaking Points podcast co-host Saagar Enjeti chimed in as well, posting on X that “Biden is escalating the war in Ukraine out the door and trying to force Trump to get headlines showing him *reversing* the policy when in office + making it more difficult to pursue a peace deal.”
Trump wasted no time following his Election Day victory and called both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin within the first few days. Zelensky recently told Ukrainian outlet Suspilne that Trump’s return makes it “certain that the war will end sooner.”
“This is their approach, their promise to their citizens,” the Ukrainian leader added.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information.
Update, 11/17/24, 2:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
Update, 11/17/24 at 2 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a comment from the Pentagon.
Update, 11/17/24 at 2:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with social media reactions and additional context.