Kremlin says the U.S. is turning gasoline on fire” after Biden allowed Kiev to strike deeper in Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's statements on November 18th followed reports that Biden has given Ukraine permission to use American weapons to hit deeper inside Russian territory.

This development took place after months of lobbies by Ukrainian officials, including President Voldymyr Zelensky, that Western states give the green light to Kiev to use weapons donated with full capacity to hit targets outside its current range.

So far, the United States, along with other NATO states, has set a limit on the distance that US missiles can hit within Russian territory.

Peskov said a step towards changing this border, which is not officially confirmed by Washington, would open a new round of tensions and deepen the involvement of the United States in Russia's war in Ukraine.

It is clear that the outgoing administration in Washington aims to take steps to continue lighting fire and provoking a further escalation of” tensions, Peskov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West in September that Russia could respond with nuclear weapons if attacked by conventional missiles and that Moscow would consider any attack backed by a nuclear power as a joint attack.

Russian parliamentary Leonid Slutsky said such an act would lead to escalation.

“The shocks of the US missiles deep into Russian territory will inevitably lead to a major escalation that risks having far more serious consequences”, Slutsky, chairman of the State Doom's Foreign Affairs Commission, said in an interview for the state news agency TASS.

Armation will likely be used in response to North Korea's decision to send thousands of soldiers to support Russia in the Kursk region, where Ukraine undertook a military invasion during the summer. Reports have suggested Ukraine will still be limited in striking that southwestern Russia region.

This step also paves the way for the United Kingdom and France to follow suit, potentially enabling Ukraine to give Russia a blow at a critical moment of war. Ukraine is seeking to preserve territorial gains in Russia's Kursk region, which could be crucial to any future negotiations.

However, Zelensky's reaction to the news was somewhat reserved.

“Today, many are talking about getting permission for certain actions. But beatings are not verbal. Things like that are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves”, Zelenskiy said in his weekly video address.

Meanwhile, Kiev's European allies have responded positively to the news.
Polish President Andreze Duda said Beden's move could be a crucial moment in the war.

This decision was very necessary... Russia is seeing Ukraine enjoy strong support and that the Western position is steadfast and determined. It is a very important, potentially crucial moment in this fight”, Duda told reporters.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Washington's movement was important in terms of military support for Ukraine, but stressed it does not signal a change of strategy from the West.

“The decision on the American side, and I would like to stress that this is not a review, but an intensification of what has already been offered by other partners is so important at this moment”, Baerbock said in Brussels ahead of an EU foreign ministers meeting.

The top German diplomat also issued a warning to Russian President Putin's supporters, and said the European Union is preparing new sanctions against Iran, as well as examining the issue of Chinese support for fears.

Speaking in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he hopes the bloc's members follow Washington's example.

I have repeatedly said that Ukraine should be able to use the weapons we have offered, not only to prevent arrows, but also to shoot at archers”, Borrell said.

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp also said he thinks Beden's decision was “the adequate” response to Russia after the deployment of troops from North Korea. / REL/