Along with the developments of the Russia-Ukraine war, the West is gradually loosening restrictions related to military support policies for Kiev.
Since Russia launched a ” special military operation ” in February 2022, Ukraine has relied heavily on weapons from its Western allies to maintain its ability to counter Moscow on the battlefield.
However, Western countries sometimes hesitate to provide the weapons Kiev requests for fear that the conflict will escalate.
Ukraine is now asking the US and its partners to allow it to use longer-range missiles to strike deeper into Russian territory to reduce threats from Moscow.
Several NATO countries have backed Kiev’s call, but Washington is still weighing the possibility of a Russian response. Russian President Vladimir Putin has clarified that Moscow would consider such an attack as direct Western involvement in the war.
It is unclear whether the West will eventually continue to cross this “red line”, but throughout the Russia-Ukraine war, they have repeatedly blurred the red lines in their policy of providing weapons to Kiev.
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)
Throughout the war, Ukraine has consistently asked its allies to provide them with the ability to strike deeper into Russian lines to disrupt the enemy’s command and logistics chain.
The US had delayed the delivery of ATACMS because of concerns that Russia would view it as an escalation. However, by October 2023, the US had agreed to deliver a version with a maximum range of 165km, followed by a longer-range version delivered earlier this year, with a range of 300km.
The weapon was first used against a Russian air base in Crimea, a US official told Reuters at the time.
F-16 aircraft
Ukraine requested F-16 fighter jets as soon as the war began to enhance its long-range strike capabilities as well as shoot down Russian cruise missiles.
Ukrainian pilots will only begin training on F-16 fighter jets in August 2023. Ukraine received its first F-16s in July this year.
Tanks from the West
Although Eastern European allies have supplied Ukraine with Soviet-era tanks, Kiev still demands Western-built tanks.
The tank deal was delayed by Germany’s concerns that the move could be seen as an escalation by Russia, but the delivery was approved after lengthy negotiations in January 2023. Berlin eventually agreed to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks from other countries’ stocks as well as its own.
Attack on Russian territory
For more than two years, the US has not allowed Ukraine to attack Russia with any weapons systems it has provided.
It was after Russia’s attack in May 2024 near the city of Kharkov, northeastern Ukraine, that the US changed its stance.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has quietly allowed Ukraine to use aid weapons to attack military targets on the Russian border for defensive purposes.
