Allowing Ukraine to use ATACMS to strike targets deep inside Russia is the subject of “intense consultations,” U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, said on Sept. 14.
Speaking at the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv, Sullivan reiterated that no decision had yet been made, a day after President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in Washington to discuss the issue.
Ukraine had been hoping for permission to be granted during the talks to use two Western-supplied long-range missiles – Storm Shadow and ATACMS – to strike military targets such as airfields located deep inside Russian territory.
But Starmer left Washington with no such announcement being made, putting Kyiv’s hopes on hold once again.
“I understand Ukraine’s perspective on it,” Sullivan said, adding: “But rather than me trying to elaborate on the reasoning one way or the other, this is something that I think is the subject of intense consultation among allies and partners, and will be (discussed) between President (Biden) and President Zelensky.”
Zelensky is due to travel to New York later this month for the United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking at the same conference a day earlier, Zelensky said the U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles are “pointless” in Ukraine due to their limited quantity and restrictions on strikes deep inside Russia imposed by Western partners.
The U.S. began providing Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of up to 300 kilometers (190 miles), in the spring.
While these missiles have been used in Russian-occupied Crimea, Washington’s restrictions prevent their use on Russian soil.
“ATACMS in the form that we have today (in Ukraine) is pointless if you cannot use it on their (Russian) military bases, airfields with helicopters and airplanes. It’s pointless,” Zelensky said.
“If ATACMS has a big restriction on the use of missiles because there are few of them… Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.”
The NYT reported that it’s likely a decision will be made about Storm Shadows before one is reached over ATACMS.
While Ukraine has been pleading for permission for months, it’s understood the stance of Western nations has changed in light of Iran supplying Russia with ballistic missiles.
“We’ve now seen this action of Russia acquiring ballistic missiles from Iran, which will further empower their aggression in Ukraine. So if anyone is taking escalatory action, it would appear to be Mr. Putin and Russia,” U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, said while visiting Kyiv earlier this week.
Lammy added that Iran supplying ballistic missiles to Russia “clearly changes the debate” around the issue, as it allows the Kremlin to gain “further penetration into Ukraine.”
Zelensky is also expected to present Biden with a plan for Ukraine’s victory against Russia, which will also be presented to Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-President Donald Trump, the two candidates for the upcoming November presidential election.
“I do think we need a comprehensive strategy for success in this war and that is what President Zelensky says he’s bringing,” Sullivan said.
“And so we’re very much looking forward to sitting down and talking that through, and President Biden is eager for that conversation.
“And it’s only right that it be President Zelensky who brings that because it is up to the democratically elected government of Ukraine and the people of Ukraine to set out the course of the war, their path to victory.”
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