The US intends to supply Kiev with long-range weapons, despite the danger of escalation
Washington is discussing with Kiev the danger of an escalation of the conflict with Moscow in the event of strikes on Russian territory, but has not yet imposed restrictions on Ukraine regarding the weapons transferred to it, Reuters reports. Moreover, as CNN has learned, the Biden administration is preparing to supply Kiev with long-range multiple rocket launchers.
"On the same wave"
U.S. officials and sources in diplomatic circles told Reuters that the "behind-the-scenes discussions" being conducted by the United States and Ukraine "do not place explicit geographical restrictions on the use of weapons" supplied to Kiev. However, the talks are aimed at "reaching a common understanding" of the risk of escalation if Ukraine decides to strike at territories deep in Russia.
"We are concerned about escalation, but we still don't want to impose geographical restrictions or tie their hands too much with regard to the use of what we supply," said one of the three U.S. officials on condition of anonymity.
The article notes that the administration of President Joe Biden and US allies "are increasingly ready to provide Ukraine with longer-range weapons, including M777 howitzers, since Kiev is fighting "with the armed forces of Russia "with greater success than American intelligence officials predicted."
The authors of the material recalled that at first the Americans believed that Ukraine would be "captured by a much larger Russian army." But now US officials suspect that Kiev "can win the war," so they want to arm Ukrainian troops for this.
"But US intelligence has also warned of growing risks, especially given the discrepancy between the apparent ambitions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the actions of his armed forces. In the coming months, the war could follow a "more unpredictable and potentially escalating trajectory," as Director of National Intelligence Evril Haines said at a Senate hearing this month," the article says.
Sources told Reuters that the United States does not want to fight Russia directly, but the Pentagon leadership "is in constant contact with Ukrainian leaders and provides them with critical intelligence that allows Ukraine to attack Russian troops on land and at sea."
A second US official told the agency that Washington and Kiev have a "common understanding" regarding the use of certain Western weapons systems, the countries "have so far been on the same wavelength regarding the existing framework." According to him, Kiev has enough "targets" on the territory of Ukraine, for which the West supplies weapons, including long-range ones.
"There may be scenarios when Ukrainians find themselves cornered in such a corner that it seems to them that they should escalate, but we have not seen this yet," he concluded.
"Changing the rules of the game"
According to CNN, the Biden administration is preparing to supply Kiev with a highly mobile M142 artillery rocket system (HIMARS), the range of which, depending on ammunition, can be up to 300 kilometers.
The article notes that new deliveries may be announced as early as next week. In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks "begged the United States and its allies to provide a multiple rocket launcher or MLRS system."
"Weapons systems manufactured in the United States can launch missiles hundreds of kilometers away - much further than any of the systems that Ukraine already has - which, according to Ukrainians, can change the rules of the game in their war against Russia," the article says.
Sources told the TV channel that the administration of the American leader has so far refused to supply long-range weapons due to "fears that Ukraine may use the systems to carry out offensive attacks on the territory of Russia." In addition, the White House fears that the Russian Federation may strike "some kind of retaliatory strike against the United States" if these weapons are sent to Kiev.
"Unacceptable escalation"
The day before, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview with RT Arabic, said that the supply of weapons by Western countries to Ukraine that are capable of striking at Russian territory would be a step towards an unacceptable escalation of tension.
"The West has called for Russia to be defeated on the battlefield, and for this it is necessary to continue the war, to pump up weapons of Ukrainian nationalists, the Ukrainian regime, including weapons that can reach the Russian Federation. It is precisely such weapons that Zelensky publicly demands," Lavrov said.
He noted that Russia had warned the West "in the most serious way" that the supply of long-range weapons would be "the most serious step towards unacceptable escalation."
Maria Shustrova
