Ukraine asks US for long-range missiles to win but Biden fears Putin will use chemical weapons

After Ukraine’s latest victories in the north-east of the country, its leader Volodymyr Zelensky is putting pressure on the president of the United States, Joe Bidento obtain a more powerful weapon: a system of missiles with a range of 190 miles (305 kilometers) that could reach Russian territory.

Zelensky has insisted to US officials that he has no intention of attacking Russian cities or targeting civilian targets. Precisely the opposite of what Putin has done during these months of war, with successive attacks on residential areas, leisure centers or hospitals. These missiles, according to Zelensky, are essential to launch a broader and almost definitive counteroffensive to end the war early next year.

However, Biden has not yet decided to send this weapon to Ukraine. In part, because for the past seven months he has – successfully – singled out Putin as main culprit of this conflict. Also, the American president doesn’t want a broader war with the Russians, he just wants them to vacate the Ukraine.

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A shipment of such long-range guided missiles could also give Ukraine new options for attacking the Crimea regionthe territory that Russia annexed in 2014. A fact that, according to Biden, would probably be seen by Moscow as a great provocation. “We are trying to avoid World War III”Biden often reminds his advisers.

The discussion about this Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) It has come at a critical time, when officials at the White House, State Department, Pentagon and US intelligence agencies seem more concerned than ever that Putin may escalate the war to make up for his latest battlefield failures. .

US stance

The Joe Biden Administration seeks to control the escalation in the war, therefore it is not clear about the sending of these missiles. US officials are trying to gauge next steps in hopes of take advantage of Ukraine’s gains without triggering a wider conflict. The new turn of the war leaves, for now, the Ukrainians with an advantage against a disorderly Russian army.

“We are responding with restraint, but that is for the time being,” Putin said on Friday, after attending a regional summit in Uzbekistan. “If the situation continues to develop this way, the answer will be more serious”, he added.

In addition, he stated that Ukraine was trying to carry out “terrorist acts” in Russia and described the recent Russian cruise missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as “warning strikes”.

Earlier this day, at an intelligence conference in Washington, CIA Deputy Director David S. Cohen said that Putin will ask his military leaders “what has happened, why is it happening, and what can we do to put pressure on it?” “I don’t think we should underestimate Putin’s adherence to his original goal, which was to control Ukraine.. Neither is his appetite for risk,” Cohen added.

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Colin H. Kahl, Deputy Secretary of Defenseasserted a few days ago that “Ukraine’s success on the battlefield could make Russia feel cornered, and that is something we must take into account.”

In the meantime, Democrats pressure Biden to send these projectiles to kyiv to put an end to the Russian invasion as soon as possible. Some of his deputies have called the president “cautious” for refusing to send more powerful weapons to Ukraine at a time in the war where they have an advantage.

The danger of Putin

Biden has warned Putin that do not use nuclear or chemical weapons in the Ukraine, so he has warned him that he will become the world’s biggest “outcast” if he does.

“No, no, don’t. It will change the face of war like never before since WWII“, Biden assured in an interview on CBS.

The US president has insisted that there would be “consequences” and that the Russians “would become the greatest outcasts the world has ever seen.” “The answer will depend on the scope of what they do,” the Democratic leader stated in advance of the interview, which will be broadcast in its entirety on Sunday.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the United States has imposed – in coordination with its allies – sanctions on the Russian financial sector, Putin and dozens of officials and businessmen in the country. In addition to sending military aid.

The United States believes that China and India are increasing “pressure” on the Kremlin to end the war, after their leaders, Xi Jinping and Narendra Modiexpress to Putin their concern about the consequences of the conflict.