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Tensions Escalate: Putin Signals Potential Conflict with the West Over Ukraine's Long-Range Missile
In a stark warning, President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia would consider itself "at war" with the United States and its allies if restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range Western weaponry are lifted. This statement marks a significant escalation in rhetoric as NATO's support for Ukraine continues to grow.
Putin's comments came just before a pivotal meeting in Washington, where British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to discuss the issue with President Joe Biden. The U.S. and its allies are reportedly contemplating allowing Ukraine to deploy long-range missiles, a move that Kyiv has been advocating for months to enhance its military capabilities against Russian forces.
"We are not discussing whether to permit the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons," Putin stated in an interview with propagandist Pavel Zarubin. "The real question is whether NATO countries are directly engaging in this military conflict." He further emphasized that such a decision would signify NATO's direct involvement in hostilities against Russia, prompting Moscow to respond with "appropriate decisions" to counter perceived threats.
Echoing Putin's sentiments, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s State Duma, asserted via Telegram that NATO has effectively become a participant in the military operations in Ukraine, framing the conflict as a war against Russia.
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Kremlin has consistently portrayed the war in Ukraine as a confrontation with the West and NATO. Putin's latest remarks appear to be a strategic maneuver to reinforce these narratives at a critical juncture.
Despite Putin's history of issuing warnings about crossing "red lines," the West has continued to provide military support to Ukraine, including long-range weapons. Recently, Ukrainian forces launched an unprecedented incursion into Russian territory, which elicited a relatively subdued response from Moscow. Following this, the Kremlin announced a significant counteroffensive aimed at reclaiming territory in the Kursk border region.
Currently, Ukraine is permitted to use Western-supplied long-range weapons, such as American ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to target Russian positions along its border, but only in retaliation to attacks originating from those areas. Kyiv has been pressing for a shift in this policy to enable strikes on deeper military assets within Russia that threaten Ukrainian cities.
While Washington and its allies have been cautious about escalating the conflict, recent developments suggest a potential shift in stance. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Kyiv, alongside his British counterpart, and Biden's indication of ongoing discussions regarding the issue signal a possible reevaluation of the current policy.
As Starmer prepares for his meeting with Biden, his office reiterated that the U.K. does not seek conflict with Russia, emphasizing that the responsibility for the ongoing war lies with Moscow, which could end the conflict immediately by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine.
In a related development, Russia's FSB has announced the revocation of accreditation for six British diplomats in Moscow, accusing them of engaging in activities indicative of espionage.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely, aware that any miscalculation could lead to a significant escalation in hostilities between Russia and the West.