A representative of the White House, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announced that Washington would “adapt and adjust” its position depending on the situation on the battlefield. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden may be prepared to “tolerantly” respond to strikes by Ukrainian forces on Russian territory. Blinken emphasized that the U.S. did not encourage or support attacks by Ukrainian Defense Forces on Russian territory, but noted that Ukrainians have to independently make decisions on how best to defend from Russian aggression.
In response to journalists’ questions about whether the U.S. could support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia, Blinken said his phrase “adaptation and adjustment” means just that. According to the secretary of state, the U.S. will adjust its policy based on the evolution of the situation.
Meanwhile, the German government has begun to cautiously back away from its doubts about allowing Ukraine to strike at military targets on Russian territory. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Ukraine may use weapons supplied by Germany “within the framework of international law,” implying that these weapons can be used against the aggressor. Changes are happening very rapidly, fundamentally different positions are voiced practically every day.
Scholz’s press secretary, Steffen Hebestreit, stated that “Ukraine’s defensive actions are not limited to its own territory” and can extend to the aggressor’s territory. He did not disclose the exact agreements between Berlin and Kyiv on this matter, but an anonymous source familiar with the German government’s position confirmed that Scholz is leaning toward allowing Ukraine to use German weapons for strikes on Russia.
It’s worth noting that Putin has begun threatening the West not to allow Ukraine to strike at Russian territory. According to him, strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces with Western weapons will require direct Western participation in the conflict.
