Experts and analysts said that the weapons will only last for a short time.
The US refusal to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western missiles to strike Russian territory has exacerbated the rift among allies. Ukraine is furious at yet another failure to slow Russia's advance, while its biggest ally is weighing Moscow's possible response.
The Washington Post reports this.
Ukraine’s latest request is for permission to use U.S. ATACMS missile systems and other long-range munitions to strike strategic targets inside Russia, including airfields. The request will be made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington. The Ukrainians had expected Biden to approve the request, which illustrates the growing rift between the countries more than two years after Russia invaded.
The debate in Washington is dividing the Biden administration and Congress. U.S. partners in Europe are confused, with some openly advocating for Ukraine to carry out more cross-border strikes. U.S. officials say they see no reason to change their position, even though the Ukrainians have become accustomed to having their requests for weapons like tanks and long-range missiles first rejected and then approved.
Kyiv believes the Russians have more determined allies than they do. During Zelensky's meeting with Biden, the Ukrainian delegation is keen to present its “winning plan” as a way for Biden to leave office with a successful legacy of helping Ukraine fight Russia.
An important aspect of this plan is the ability to hit Russian targets on their territory. The Ukrainians are keen to hit the planes that launch the bombs, but those airfields are currently beyond the range of Western weapons they are allowed to use.
The Ukrainians also want more freedom in choosing targets, including energy infrastructure, since hitting it could limit funding for the Russian war effort. At the same time, the Ukrainian armed forces depend on American coordinates for their strikes, since without them their missiles are unlikely to reach their targets.
U.S. officials argue that ATACMS supplies are limited and opening up Russian territory to strikes would have limited impact on the battlefield. They argue that it is more strategic to continue to strike targets in Crimea, as Ukraine has done in the past.
Despite this, European defense officials argue that allowing deep strikes into Russia could disrupt its logistics and target its command centers. The longer Ukraine has to wait for approvals, the less effective those capabilities will be.
Discussions within the U.S. administration are ongoing, with members of the National Security Council attempting to reconcile differences between the Defense Department and the State Department. Ukrainian officials argue that public pressure has emerged out of desperation when private requests have failed.
Some European countries also support Ukraine's request to the U.S. to lift restrictions. The UK Foreign Secretary said the issue would be discussed at a UN General Assembly meeting. However, the decision to use long-range missiles carries the risk of escalation, and a European official said even if the debate was public, it did not give Russia a military advantage.
While Ukrainian officials are grateful for foreign military aid, they stress that they are paying a high price, and any delays in using the weapons mean losses for their troops. They call for decisive action and believe that it is time to make decisions, since balancing is a by-product of crisis management, not a good strategy.
Recall that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented key aspects of the “Victory Plan”, which is part of a global strategy to end the war and restore peace on fair terms.
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