Donald Trump has authorized Ukraine to deploy specific long-range missiles provided by Western allies following the cancellation of a planned meeting with Vladimir Putin. A significant restriction on their usage has been removed, enabling Kyiv to target deep within Russia and exert pressure on the Kremlin, as confirmed by US officials on Wednesday.
Recently, Ukraine launched British-manufactured Storm Shadow cruise missiles at a chemical plant in Russia’s Bryansk region, as announced by Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces on social media, describing it as a successful attack. Ukrainian forces stated that the Russian facility is involved in producing gunpowder, explosives, and components for ammunition and missiles utilized by the enemy to bombard Ukrainian territory.
The decision to permit such attacks was transferred from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to General Alexus Grynkewich, the top US military commander in Europe and also the NATO commander, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This shift occurred without prior announcement.
The missile strike with UK-made weaponry coincided with a commitment from PM Keir Starmer and other European leaders to escalate economic and defense industry pressure on Russia until Putin is open to negotiations for peace. This development unfolded after the planned Trump-Putin talks in Budapest did not materialize, with Trump highlighting his reluctance to engage in a fruitless meeting with the Russian leader.
Over a week ago, during a journey to Israel on Air Force One, Trump cautioned about the potential deployment of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if the conflict remains unresolved. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been advocating for increased military assistance from the US, specifically requesting Tomahawk missiles with a range of 1,550 miles.
Although Trump initially considered supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks, a move viewed as highly provocative by Moscow, he has since refrained from pursuing this course of action due to Russia’s warnings in September about such involvement being construed as direct entry into the conflict. The Storm Shadow missile, a joint British-French creation, can be launched from Ukrainian aircraft and cover distances exceeding 180 miles. The US retains some control over Ukraine’s use of this missile due to its reliance on American targeting information.