US President Joe Biden says Ukraine is not authorized to use American weapons for strikes on Moscow.
Biden said in an interview with ABC TV on Thursday that American weapons are authorized to be used inside Russia in proximity to the border with Ukraine. He said the US is “not authorizing strikes in Moscow, on the Kremlin.”
Biden recently approved the use of American weapons by Ukraine to strike Russian forces on its side of the border.
The US had previously only allowed Kyiv to use US-supplied weapons against Russian troops inside Ukraine. The change in US policy came after Russia stepped up its offensive, especially in the eastern region of Kharkiv.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of a retaliatory measure against moves by the US and other nations to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons.
Biden apparently hopes to avoid further escalating tensions with Russia by stressing that strikes using American weapons inside Russia will be limited to areas near the border.