France and UK greenlight Ukraine's use of long-range missiles

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has given the go-ahead for Ukraine to use American weapons to target locations deep within Russia, as reported by Reuters on Sunday, citing several sources familiar with the situation. Similar information has been shared by other media outlets, quoting sources within the U.S. administration.

Media reports indicate that France and the United Kingdom have also authorized Ukraine to use long-range SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles for attacks deep into Russian territory.

Biden's decision marks a shift in the policy maintained since the beginning of the war. In May, the president agreed to the use of American weapons for strikes in border regions on the Russian side, but this policy did not include the use of ATACMS and other long-range missiles. Representatives from Kyiv had been advocating for such a change for a long time, but the administration had previously refrained from making a decision.

Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin argued that lifting the restrictions wouldn't significantly alter the situation because Ukraine has its own weapons with similar or longer ranges. The Russians have moved some of their resources—like bombers used to attack Ukraine—further into their territory, out of the range of ATACMS. Biden was concerned it could lead to an increased escalation of the conflict. The Kremlin warned it would consider such actions a major escalation.