Washington [US], May 31: Russia's recent advances in Ukraine are pushing the administration of US President Joe Biden to consider lifting restrictions on Kyiv in using Washington's weapons to attack Russian territory.
The White House weighs the risks
President Biden is under increasing pressure from allies and advisers in the administration about whether or not to allow Ukraine to use US weapons to attack Russian territory . This may be one of the most important decisions since the conflict broke out because it risks escalating the possibility of direct confrontation between two countries possessing nuclear weapons.
According to The New York Times, the White House has begun a formal review process on whether to accept the risk. The US's green light move will help Ukraine use US weapons to counterattack artillery and missile sites inside Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is the first senior official in the administration to publicly leave open the possibility of "adapting and adjusting" the stance on Ukraine attacking Russian soil with US weapons, based on changes in the situation. battlefield. "We always make decisions about what needs to be done to ensure Ukraine can continue to defend itself effectively," Mr. Blinken said in Moldova on May 29.
According to The New York Times, Mr. Blinken reported to President Biden after a visit to Kyiv this month that Ukraine likely could not keep the territory between Kharkiv and the Russian border unless the White House owner changed his position. . Immediately afterward, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized there was no change in US policy, but noted "US support for Ukraine has developed appropriately".
Since the beginning of the conflict, the US has repeatedly adjusted its policies regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine, from the HIMARS rocket system , the Patriot air defense system, Abrams tanks, to the long-range ATACMS missiles or combat missiles. F-16 engine.
Controversy before the peace conference
The White House's calculations take place while Ukraine is trying to persuade President Biden to attend a peace conference in Switzerland in mid-June. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants the conference to form a united front to put pressure on him. to Russia. At the same time, he wants to promote Kyiv's peace formula, which calls for the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory and the restoration of borders as they were in 1991, which includes the Crimean peninsula and four regions declared by Russia. Announced merger in 2022.
According to Reuters, Mr. Zelensky accused Russia of trying to obstruct the conference by putting pressure on countries, but declared that this effort was unsuccessful when nearly 100 countries and international organizations attended. Switzerland did not invite Russia and Moscow believes this conference is meaningless without them. In an announcement on May 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on countries not to participate in the conference in Switzerland and not to submit to pressure from the West. On the other hand, Mr. Lavrov yesterday suggested that China could arrange a peace conference that Russia and Ukraine would attend.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
