The shift away from ineffective U.S. policy is positive news: Kurt Volker stated that Biden never intended to prohibit Ukraine from using ATACMS strikes.
Kurt Volker, the former U.S. special representative for Ukraine and an expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), criticized American restrictions on the use of ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory. He emphasized that these restrictions contradicted international law. In a comment to "Ukrinform" on November 18, Volker stated that he supports the Biden administration's decision to allow Ukraine to use American weapons for long-range strikes against Russia.
Volker highlighted that Ukraine is a victim of external aggression and, according to Article 51 of the UN Charter, has the right to self-defense. He noted that the U.S. decision to limit the range of weapon use was "completely arbitrary and made out of fears of 'provoking' Russia, rather than for any moral or legal reasons. Russian leader Vladimir Putin knew he was attacking Ukraine, and when he did so, he should have been prepared for the military consequences of that decision," Volker added.
"By limiting the range of American weapons for use by Ukraine, the United States unjustifiably imposed unilateral restrictions on Ukraine's self-defense, which goes beyond any requirements of international law," the expert said.
In his opinion, "a change in bad U.S. policy is good news." However, Volker does not understand why the authorization for ATACMS strikes needed to be made public. He explained that this now gives Russia the opportunity to prepare in advance and respond.
It is worth noting that Kurt Volker served as the U.S. special representative for Ukraine from 2017 to 2019. He was appointed by the administration of the 45th U.S. President Donald Trump, who created this position. Under Biden, the position was abolished, but Trump, upon returning to the White House, will again appoint a special representative for Ukraine. The candidate has not yet been approved, but it will not be Volker.
Authorization for Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range missiles - what is known
On November 17, The New York Times reported that U.S. President Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russia. The decision is connected to the presence of North Korean military forces in the Kursk region of Russia, thus potential targets may include Russian and North Korean troops threatening Ukrainian forces in the Kursk area. However, Biden may allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons in other locations, unnamed American officials reported. According to Reuters, Kyiv plans to strike Russia with long-range weapons in the coming days.
Immediately after this, the French newspaper Le Figaro, without citing a source, wrote that France and the United Kingdom also lifted restrictions for Ukraine on the use of long-range SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles for strikes on Russia. The White House and Pentagon, as well as the authorities of France and the United Kingdom, did not comment on these reports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had been demanding permission from the West to use long-range missiles for strikes on Russia for several months, did not confirm the existence of such permission. On November 17, he noted that such matters are not announced, and "the missiles will speak for themselves."
The son of newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has already reacted to the information regarding permission for Ukraine to strike deep into Russia. He considers this move misguided and referred to those involved in this decision as imbeciles. Like the Russian senator, he fears a Third World War, which, due to the concerns of Trump Jr., may start sooner than his father can establish peace.
Incidentally, the Russian propaganda agency TASS, citing a representative of Trump's team, claims that the new president may reconsider Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to strike with ATACMS. However, Trump will not be able to do this until after his inauguration on January 20, 2025.