Although President Joe Biden reportedly made the move Sunday to authorize Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles further inside Russia, an Armed Forces leader inside the Capitol is blasting the Democratic administration for lingering on the decision.
The lifting of restrictions on the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACM) comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin positions North Korean troops along Ukraine’s northern border but “does not excuse the administration’s deliberate slow-walking of items and assistance long authorized by Congress for use against Putin’s illegal aggression,” U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said in a statement.
Wicker is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and is in line to become the committee’s chairman as the GOP regained the chamber during the November elections. He vouched that the move by Biden was still necessary even though he believed lifting the weapon restriction was needed months ago.
“If initial press reports are true, I am encouraged at the prospect of allowing Ukraine to use long-range ATACM missiles supplied by the U.S.,” Wicker continued. “This devastating conflict could have been ended on terms benefiting the U.S. and NATO if Mr. Biden had listened to the counsel of bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate.”
Wicker penned a letter to Biden last month demanding nearly a dozen policy changes “to give Ukraine the best battlefield prospects possible before his administration comes to an end in January” when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has previously promised to rapidly forge a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, although the terms of a hypothetical deal are unclear. Included in Wicker’s list was loosening restrictions on U.S. contractors in Ukraine and on missile strikes inside Russia.
Earlier this year, Wicker joined Ukraine Caucus co-chairs in calling on Biden to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons. The group of lawmakers vouched that restrictions should be placed on the type of targets, rather than on the distance. According to the letter, one of Ukraine’s advantages against Russia is its ability to target high-value Russian targets and to do so rapidly.
Allowing Kyiv to use ATACMs for attacks happens just as Russia works to regain hundreds of miles of territory seized by Ukrainian forces. While Russia has received aid from North Korea, China, and Iran, among others, Ukraine has been heavily reliant on the U.S. and many other NATO members. Russia first invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
