NYT: USA admits necessity to supply Ukrainian Armed Forces with additional weapons to strike Crimea
US President Joe Biden’s administration admits that Ukraine may need additional capabilities for a strike on Crimea, the News York Times has reported, citing sources.
“After months of discussions with Ukrainian authorities, the Biden administration is finally begins to acknowledge that Kiev may need the force to strike Russian territory, even if the move would increase the risks of escalation,” the publication said.
The White House, the paper notes, has until late refused to provide Kiev with weapons for strikes on targets on the peninsula, but “that line has now begun to soften.”
“The Biden administration has come to believe that if the Ukrainian army shows Russia that its control of Crimea could be threatened, it will strengthen Kiev’s position in future negotiations,” the paper writes.
In addition, “fears” that Russia might use tactical nuclear weapons have begun to subside in the White House, although authorities and experts reportedly still do not exclude such a possibility.
As a result, the administration is now considering one of its “most audacious moves” – to help Ukraine attack the peninsula. The US is considering a number of weapons, including HIMARS and Bradley BMPs, as possible offensive assets, but is refraining from supplying long-range missile systems.
“US authorities say they do not know how (Vladimir) Putin will react if Ukraine attacks Crimea using US weapons,” the publication concludes.
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