Russian President Vladimir Putin this week issued an ominous warning to the United States and its NATO allies, saying they could be at risk of “war” with Moscow if they went to war with Russia. Ukraine allowed to use long-range weapons To hit targets inside Russia.
to Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky Advancing the US and NATO The US negotiated for months to lift all restrictions on Kiev’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons and allow it to strike military targets deep inside Russia.
But Putin drew a red line on Thursday, saying “this would mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries are at war with Russia.”
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian government agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen chairing a meeting about the situation in the Kursk region at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, outside Moscow, on August 12, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to strike Russia with US missiles
“And if that is the case, we will take appropriate decisions based on the threats that arise to us, taking into account the change in the fundamental nature of this conflict,” he said. Translation posted by NBC News,
The comments were issued a day ahead of talks at the White House, where President Biden will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday to discuss lifting existing strike restrictions.
Putin did not say what action Russia would take against the West if Washington and London lifted the sanctions imposed over the strike, but the Kremlin chief has said that Russia would take action against the West. relied on exaggerated rhetoric for a long time In its war strategy to stop Western aid to Ukraine.
Since the war began, Putin has warned NATO against providing lethal aid to Kiev, and at nearly every step he has warned that the war could spread beyond Ukraine’s borders — a strategy that experts say has achieved its intended effect on Washington.
FILE – In this image provided by the U.S. Army, Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Field Artillery Brigade from Fort Bragg, NC, conduct a live fire test of early versions of the Army Tactical Missile System at White Sands Missile Range, NM, December 14, 2021. (John Hamilton/US Army via AP, File)
Ukraine launches biggest drone attack on Moscow since war began
“Putin’s war in Ukraine has been a colossal failure — hundreds of thousands of casualties, a brain drain, a million Russians fled, Sweden and Finland are now NATO members, the list is long,” former CIA Moscow station chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital. “The only thing he’s succeeded in is rhetorical nuclear threats and other threats, trying to push the Biden administration not to give Ukraine what they need, when they need to defend themselves.”
Hoffman said Putin’s comments were likely geared toward President Biden and his administration, which has repeatedly been slow to respond to Ukraine Urgent need for defense equipment Before weapons such as tanks, F-16s and long-range ATACMS missiles were sent, both sides changed their stance and eventually agreed to send top-of-the-range weapons.
“He makes these threats because he knows these threats work,” Hoffman argued. “We should not look too closely at how (the Ukrainians) conduct their war.
“Just give them weapons. They have every legal right to self-defense,” he said.
Defense officials on both sides have argued that it is justifiable for the U.S. and NATO to provide weapons to Kiev in a war against Russia, as many believe Putin will continue his malign ambitions in Europe if he wins in Ukraine.
In this photo provided by the press service of Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade, soldiers from the 24th Mechanized Brigade fire “Giatsint-S” 152mm self-propelled howitzers toward Russian positions near the town of Chasiv Yar in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP)
Click here to get the Fox News app
It remains to be seen whether Putin will actually escalate the war beyond the borders of Russia and Ukraine, or whether Biden and Starmer will agree on Friday to lift the strike sanctions.
However, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters on Friday not to expect any announcement regarding strike restrictions.
“I don’t want to make any announcement today about long-range strike capability,” he said. “There is no change in our policy in that regard.”
Russian officials are drawing “red lines” as early as 2022, warning that the U.S. would become “a party to the conflict” by providing defensive assistance to Ukraine.
Starmer reacted to Putin’s apparent threat while flying to DC on Thursday, saying Reporter for The Guardian“Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict immediately. Ukraine has the right to self-defense.”
