Biden’s ‘Parting Gift’ To Trump Is Escalation of War In Ukraine
As President Joe Biden prepares to leave the White House, he has delivered a “parting gift” to President-elect Donald Trump — an intensification of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
In a surprising move late last week, Biden reportedly ‘authorized’ Ukraine to deploy long-range U.S. weapons for attacks on Russian territory. This decision drew a sharp warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reminded the world that escalating tensions could push Moscow toward deploying nuclear weapons, even on a limited scale.
Biden’s decision follows earlier reports suggesting that North Korea had sent an estimated 10,000 troops to Russia, seemingly as preparation for their involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Back in May, administration officials hinted at the possibility of Biden allowing Ukrainian forces to use U.S.-supplied weapons for operations within Russia. However, no action was taken during the presidential election period. After Trump’s election victory, Biden reversed course, leaving a thorny issue for the incoming administration.
According to The Wall Street Journal, these missiles “could initially target positions in the Kursk region, where Russia has amassed more than 50,000 troops, including around 10,000 North Korean soldiers, to retake lost ground.”
The report elaborated that “the introduction of thousands of North Korean troops onto the battlefield and the anticipated Kursk offensive led to a shift in Biden’s calculus, U.S. officials and others familiar with the discussions said.”
“Biden made the decision before departing Thursday for South America, one of his final foreign trips as president,” another source disclosed.
Ukraine wasted no time utilizing this newfound approval. On Tuesday, CNN reported, “Ukraine has fired US-made ATACMS missiles into Russia’s Bryansk region, Russia’s Defense Ministry said, in a major escalation on the 1,000th day of war.”
CNN added, “The attack comes just two days after the Biden administration gave Kyiv the green light to use the longer-range American weapons against targets inside Russia.”
Although Ukrainian officials did not immediately confirm the incident, if true, this marks the first use of U.S.-provided long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, showcasing Kyiv’s prompt action with its newly acquired arsenal.
At 3:25 a.m. local time on Tuesday (7:25 p.m. ET), Ukraine reportedly launched six ballistic missiles targeting a facility in Bryansk, the Russian Defense Ministry stated. It claimed American-made ATACMS missiles were employed, with five intercepted by air defenses and one sustaining damage before debris caused a minor fire at a military site. No casualties or significant damage were reported, according to CNN.
The authorization of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for strikes inside Russia had been a topic of intense debate among U.S. officials. Concerns ranged from escalating the conflict to the depletion of American weapon reserves.
In response to the reported strike, President Putin unveiled updates to Russia’s nuclear doctrine just two days after Biden’s approval of ATACMS. Under the revised policy, Moscow will now treat aggression from a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear power, as a coordinated attack against Russia itself.
Meanwhile, Russia has indicated a willingness to engage with the incoming Trump administration to negotiate a potential cease-fire or peace agreement. Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, stated, “Trump promised to settle the Ukrainian crisis overnight. OK, let him try. But we are realistic people; of course, we understand that this will never happen. But if he starts or suggests something to initiate the political process, it’s welcome.”