U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed Washington's openness to discussing the use of U.S. weapons for potential strikes deep within Russian territory.
This statement was made during a session with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where Blinken emphasized the U.S.'s commitment to ensuring Ukraine's defense needs are met.
Blinken's Remarks
"We've endeavored to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs, when it needs it, can use it effectively, and can maintain it effectively," Blinken stated.
His comments came in response to queries about whether the U.S. should clarify its stance to Ukraine on conducting retaliatory strikes against Russia using U.S. weapons.
"As I said to Congressman [Bill] Keating, we're always open to listening to our partners," he added.
The discussion follows a letter from bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives, reported by Politico, which urged the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory using U.S. weapons under specific circumstances.
The letter calls for U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to authorize these actions to support Ukraine's military capabilities.
Blinken also reiterated the importance of continually evaluating Ukraine's needs.
"I'm always open to conversations with our allies and partners about their needs. We want to make sure that they have what they need," he said.
Russian Response
Reacting to these developments, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the proposal, suggesting that "hotheads in the US Congress" are intent on escalating tensions and perpetuating the conflict.
Peskov accused Washington of pursuing a policy aimed at prolonging the war "to the last Ukrainian."
