FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
US defense officials have blocked Ukraine's use of long-range US missiles to strike inside Russian territory since late spring, as part of a Trump administration effort to push Vladimir Putin into peace talks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
According to the source, the Pentagon has banned Ukraine from using the Atacs missile system. Two US officials said that at least once Kiev had requested the use of these missiles against a target, but was denied based on a “review mechanism” developed by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy, the WSJ reports.
This mechanism determines how long-range US weapons or those provided by European allies that rely on US intelligence and components can be used.
This review process also applies to Britain's Storm Shadow missiles, as they depend on US targeting data, according to US and British officials.
The final decision on the use of the Atacama missiles, which have a range of approximately 305 km, is made by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
The Biden administration had previously allowed Ukraine to use these missiles against targets in Russia in November, following the involvement of North Korean troops in the war. However, before his inauguration in January, Trump told Time Magazine that allowing the use of the long-range missiles was a mistake.
"I absolutely disagree with sending missiles hundreds of miles inside Russia. Why are we doing this? We are only escalating the war and making it worse. It should not have been allowed," he said.
It remains unclear whether this new mechanism constitutes a complete policy shift, but it comes at a time when the US is exerting increasing control over the supply of weapons to Ukraine, also due to the depletion of its own reserves.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said Trump "has been very clear that the war in Ukraine must end" and that "there is no change in the military posture on the Russia-Ukraine front at this time."
However, last week, in efforts to pave the way for talks between Putin and Zelensky, Trump acknowledged that Ukraine cannot defeat Russia without being able to play "on offense."
"It is very difficult, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking the invader's country. It is like a sports team with excellent defense but not allowed to attack. There is no chance of winning," he wrote on Thursday.
Meanwhile, last month the US agreed to supply Ukraine with new weapons systems only if payment is covered by European countries. At the same time, the administration has approved the sale of 3,350 Erams air-to-air missiles with a range of 400 km, although Trump has stressed that the US is “not looking” to give Kiev long-range weapons that could hit Moscow.
Lini një Përgjigje