Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on Friday that Ukraine should have the freedom to attack within Russian territory. He made this statement while American and British leaders were meeting in Washington to discuss the possibility of removing restrictions on supplying long-range weapons to Kyiv. Ukraine has been requesting permission for months to use weapons like U.S.-supplied ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles to target deeper areas inside Russia. This is to prevent Russian attacks that have caused damage to Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. NATO members have been hesitant to agree to this request, as they do not wish to escalate or expand the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against lifting the restrictions on long-range weapons, stating that it could lead to a direct war with NATO. When asked about Putin’s warning, Trudeau responded that the decision to end or continue the war in Ukraine rests solely with Putin. He expressed Canada’s full support for Ukraine using long-range weaponry to deter Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, infrastructure, and innocent lives.
Trudeau’s remarks came before British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, where they were expected to discuss the issue of providing long-range weapons to Ukraine. It was reported that Starmer would seek Biden’s approval for Ukraine to use British Storm Shadow missiles for expanded strikes in Russia, as these missiles contain components made in the U.S.
Although there were discussions about potentially approving Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles against Russian targets, the White House stated that there were no immediate plans to change their policy. Biden hinted at the possibility of a change in policy, saying that they were working on it. Starmer emphasized that the U.K. is not looking to provoke Russia and that Ukraine has the right to self-defense.
The potential lifting of restrictions on long-range weapons comes after the U.S. and U.K. accused Iran of supplying long-range ballistic missiles to Russia. In May, the U.S. temporarily lifted restrictions on ATACMS for military targets inside Russia near the northern border. However, military analysts have raised concerns about civilian casualties in Russia if long-range weapons are used, as they are not always accurate in hitting their targets. Ukraine unveiled its own long-range weapon system, the Palianytsia, which they designed and can produce domestically but production will take time to ramp up.
The United Nations reported a high number of civilian deaths and injuries in Ukraine since the war began, with August being one of the deadliest months for civilian deaths. NATO has been increasing the capability of weapons sent to Ukraine in response to pleas for more firepower. Despite Putin’s threats of escalation and direct conflict with NATO, no retaliation has been ordered on NATO territory yet. NATO officials are taking Putin’s threats seriously, given his past actions of aggression.
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