Biden authorizes Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory

Twelve days after the US presidential election, Joe Biden faces the reality of the sand quickly emptying in the hourglass. The Democrat has only a few weeks left to consolidate the gains of his mandate before Donald Trump returns to the White House. While Trump’s intentions remain unclear regarding the war in Ukraine, which he has promised to settle in record time, Biden has finally ceded to a request Kyiv has been making for months, official sources said on Sunday, November 17. From now on and on a case-by-case basis, Washington will authorize, the use by the Ukrainian army of long-range missiles to strike Russia in depth, in other words, Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which can reach a target nearly 300 kilometers away.

The aim is to repel Moscow’s counter-attack – nearly 50,000 strong, including 10,000 North Koreans – in the Russian region of Kursk, conquered by Kyiv in August. This important decision, which arrived at the end of a weekend of massive Russian strikes in Ukraine, has been the cause of immense frustration among supporters of the invaded country because of how long it took to arrive. It will not reverse the balance of power, but it does offer Kyiv a long-awaited military option. It does not outline a possible victory, but it does free a hand tied behind its back. The priority is to retain strategic assets – such as a piece of Russian territory – before Trump takes office, in the knowledge that he intends to push for negotiations.

Until now, the American refusal to allow deep strikes was explained by the fear of escalation on the Russian side, as Moscow has repeatedly brandished the threat of a nuclear weapon. But the escalation moved in a different direction, judging by the massive presence of North Korean soldiers alongside the Russian army.

Rarely has an American administration so consistently contradicted itself on a major international security issue. As was the case with other military equipment, such as tanks and fighter jets, it is giving in after delaying the moment too long, to the detriment of Ukraine.

Biden administration’s strategy called into question

This systemic American disconnect from the needs and emergencies in Ukraine, despite massive military and financial aid since 2022, has made other players bolder, such as Iran, which has supplied hundreds of drones to Russia. “The Biden administration did the right thing standing by Ukraine after it was invaded, but then fell into the trap of believing that wars are ‘managed’ rather than fought,” noted Andrew Michta, director at the Atlantic Council think tank on X. “And so Ukraine was never given the means to break the Russian military and render it combat ineffective.”

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