President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning to the United States and its allies, stating that Russia would be “at war” with them if restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range Western weapons are lifted. This threat came ahead of a meeting between British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Joe Biden to discuss potentially allowing Ukraine to use these missiles.
Putin emphasized that any involvement of NATO countries in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine would lead to war, and Russia would respond accordingly. The Kremlin and Russian propaganda have been framing the conflict in Ukraine as a clash with the West since the invasion began in February 2022.
The Ukrainian forces recently launched an invasion into Russian territory, which was met with a relatively restrained response from Russia. The Kremlin announced a major counteroffensive to retake the seized land in the Kursk border region. As of now, Ukraine can only use Western-supplied long-range weapons to strike Russian territory along the border in response to attacks.
There has been hesitation from the US and its allies to allow Ukraine to use these weapons to strike deeper inside Russia due to fears of escalation. However, recent discussions between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British counterpart suggest a potential shift in this policy. Starmer, upon arriving in Washington, emphasized that Russia initiated the conflict in Ukraine and has the power to end it. The situation remains tense as both sides consider their next moves.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
