It should be noted that the authorized use of these missiles is, however, limited to the Kursk oblast, which the Ukrainian army invaded last August. American officials have in fact declared that they aim above all to produce an effect “specific and limited” on the front. No missile of this type can therefore be used beyond Russian territory.
How to explain such a decision on the part of the Biden administration? Even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country is the second largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, tirelessly refuses to provide the long-range Taurus missiles requested by kyiv.
A senior Ukrainian presidential official told Agence France Presse that the authorization is actually a response to the reinforcement of thousands of North Korean troops that Russia obtained in the region from Pyongyang and to the agreement of mutual defense signed by the two countries on November 10. In other words, the United States is helping Ukraine because North Korea is helping Russia.
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Escalation Fears
However, the United States was one of the countries which until then refused to cross this limit, for fear of an escalation with Moscow. In September, Vladimir Putin warned that such a Western green light “would mean nothing less than direct involvement of NATO countries in the war in Ukraine“. In reaction to this announcement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov also accused Washington of “add fuel to the fire and cause a further rise in tensions“Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, promised a response.”appropriate“and who”will be felt“in the event of kyiv using American missiles on its territory, because this would mean”a radical change in the very essence and nature of the conflict“.
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“We must not fear the permanent threats from Vladimir Putinestimates General Dominique Trinquand, former head of the French military mission to the UN and author of the book “D’un monde à l’autre” (Ed. Robert Laffont). In three years of war, he only managed to invade 20% of Ukrainian territory and did not defeat the Ukrainian army. Every time Moscow has talked about escalation, it hasn’t happened. Vladimir Putin escalates in words but not in actions. We must stop believing that he wants to wage war on the entire West.“
Green light for allies
Even if kyiv’s allies follow Washington’s lead? Poland quickly welcomed the United States’ decision. On November 17, Le Figaro reported that France and the United Kingdom had supplied and authorized Ukrainian forces to use SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles to strike inside Russia.
Without commenting on the question, General Trinquand specifies that “the British and the French have missiles [respectivement les Storm Shadow et les Mistral, NdlR] which strike at the same distance, approximately 300 kilometers. Simply, they have subsets that are American. They could therefore not be used until the Americans gave the green light. It is now given. Now the missiles we have are airborne missiles, on planes. There are therefore much fewer available than the ATACMS missiles which come from land platforms and which are therefore in much greater number.“
gullThis American decision comes at a time when Ukraine desperately needs it. But she should have arrived sooner.
“That being said, I do not believe in the possibility for Ukraine to reconquer the territory that was taken by the Russianscontinues the general. I think that from the beginning we have been asking Ukraine to fight with one arm behind its back. Today, we have reached the point where President Trump will arrive at the White House on January 20, and Vladimir Putin is trying to garner as much success as possible before [cette date]. We have a duty to support Ukraine as much as possible until then.“For the soldier, this decision”comes at a time when Ukraine desperately needs it. But she should have arrived sooner.“
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Avant l’administration Trump
To a greater extent, through this decision, Washington is further involving itself in the war in Ukraine. General Dominique Trinquand confirms that “these are the last fires of the Biden administration. She is therefore trying to do as much as she can in the two months she has left. This decision was taken because it is absolutely necessary to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this critical period for it.“
Outgoing President Joe Biden is also seeking to accelerate the delivery of military aid to kyiv and continues to put in place mechanisms for European allies to take over… between now and the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House, next January. “I think that [dans un premier temps,] Donald Trump wants to obtain a cease-fire, that is to say an end to the fighting. But this will not bring about a global settlement of the conflict. This will be a cessation of hostilities. The one who will have to be convinced will rather be Vladimir Putin than Volodymyr Zelensky in this area.“
Eager to achieve success, the future American president will therefore inherit a war whose stakes are considerably increased. “It will be necessary to discuss territorial problems and security guarantees, both for Ukraine and Russia. And that’s going to take a little time.“
While awaiting the arrival of the Republican at the head of the United States, Volodymyr Zelensky continues to strengthen his ties with his Western allies. The Ukrainian president will also give a speech this Tuesday before the European Parliament, on the occasion of the thousandth day of the total invasion of his country by Russia.
