US Eyes Partners’ Missile Stockpiles for More ATACMS for Ukraine
The Biden administration is in talks with third countries to persuade them to supply Ukraine with more of their long-range ATACMS missiles, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The Biden administration is in talks with third countries to persuade them to supply Ukraine with more of their long-range ATACMS missiles, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Although the US wouldn’t send more of its own Army Tactical Missile Systems, allies and partners are in discussions about how others might donate more of the missiles or variants of them, which Ukraine has in short supply, said the people, who asked not to be identified given the sensitivity of the discussions.
The White House authorized Kyiv in recent weeks to fire into some parts of Russia the US-supplied ATACMS, which are manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp. and can strike as far as 190 miles . The UK quickly followed with a green light for its own long-range Storm Shadow missiles, with Ukraine launching both into Russia in recent weeks.
Moscow, which has long warned against such a move, responded by firing a type of intermediate-range ballistic missile that’s capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, with President Vladimir Putin later saying his forces may use the missile in combat again. Putin also since stepped up his threat of a nuclear response to conventional attacks.
The US policy change, along with similar recent steps to send antipersonnel mines and sanction a major Russian bank, is part of the Biden administration’s last-ditch efforts to bolster President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s hand before President-elect Donald Trump takes over US handling of the war, which he has vowed he will end quickly. The State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other members of the NATO alliance are also looking to boost Kyiv’s capabilities to stop Russia’s advance or position it for a possible cease-fire.
The Biden administration’s discussions with allies were ongoing even before the latest policy change, but no decision has been made on which partner country might be able to offer the missiles, the people said. The UK sent dozens more Storm Shadows to Ukraine before allowing it to fire into Russia.
Nations that have contracted for ATACMS from the US include South Korea, Taiwan, Romania, Poland and the United Arab Emirates. It’s unclear which countries have inventories to share, as well as how much influence the outgoing Biden administration can exert over countries that may be loath to run afoul of Trump.
After months of resisting, the White House ultimately authorized Ukraine to fire into Russia as a response to North Korean troops massing in the country to aid Moscow’s war, US officials said. It took the decision with full awareness of Russia’s threats about escalation and deemed the risks to be manageable and worth the increase in capabilities for Ukraine, one of the officials said.
But Ukraine’s limited supply of the long-range missiles has raised questions about how much impact such a change in policy could have, especially as the US is restrained in how many more it can provide from its own stockpiles without affecting readiness.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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First Published:6 Dec 2024, 03:01 AM IST
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