As debates continue over whether Ukrainian forces should be allowed to use Western-supplied weapons to strike deeper into Russia, the Biden administration is preparing to send a significant aid package to Ukraine in the coming weeks. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced on Saturday that President Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this month, alongside a “substantial” new round of support for Kyiv.
Speaking via videolink at the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv, Sullivan said, “We need a comprehensive strategy for success in this war, and that is what President Zelenskyy says he is bringing.” He added that President Biden is looking forward to the discussion.
Over 25 months have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have encountered difficulties, particularly as Russia advances toward Pokrovsk, a crucial transit hub in eastern Ukraine. Sullivan acknowledged the situation in the region as being of “unique concern.”
Sullivan emphasized that Biden is working to position Ukraine in the “best possible place to prevail” before his term ends in January, as he is not seeking re-election. He also noted that President Zelenskyy has maintained that the war must ultimately end through negotiations and that Ukraine needs to be in a strong position for those talks.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if the West allows Ukraine to strike Russian territory using Western-made long-range weapons, it would fundamentally alter the conflict. Putin claimed this would lead to the direct involvement of NATO countries, including the United States and Europe, in the war. He stressed that while Ukraine has already launched attacks using drones, employing Western long-range precision weapons would escalate the situation significantly.
Putin further warned that Russia would respond with “appropriate decisions” if such weapons were used, saying, “If this decision is made, it will mean nothing short of direct involvement by NATO and Western countries, dramatically changing the very essence and nature of the conflict.”
