Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the West and NATO countries that they will be “at war with Russia” if Ukraine is given the green light to use long-range missiles on targets inside his country, Reuters and Agence France-Presse reported.
Putin’s comments came a day before President Joe Biden is set to discuss the issue in a White House meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland on Thursday that put the issue of giving Kyiv permission to use long-range missiles back on the table.
"It would mean that NATO countries, the U.S., European countries, are at war with Russia," Putin told Russian state TV on Thursday. "If that's the case, then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face."
It has been a long-standing request of Kyiv for more leeway to use Western-supplied weapons to strike Russian targets, especially in the aftermath of Blinken accusing Iran of providing Russia with Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, what he called a “dramatic escalation” in the war.
If Biden and Western allies lift the ban, it would green light Ukraine to use US ATACMS and Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles on targets as deep as 190 miles into Russia, the Daily Mail reported. The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think-tank, estimated last month that 245 “known Russian military and paramilitary objects” — including 16 air bases — would be within range for Ukraine to strike.
"So this is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is a question of deciding whether or not NATO countries are directly involved in a military conflict," Putin said.
"If this decision is taken, it will mean nothing less than the direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States and European countries in the war in Ukraine. This will be their direct participation, and this, of course, will significantly change the very essence, the very nature of the conflict."
Information from Reuters was used in this report.