Biden Surprises Allies with Missile Decision: 'Russians Should Have Been Surprised Too'

brussels - US gives Ukraine permission to use long-range weapons against targets in Russian territory, surprising European allies. France, UK, and potentially Germany considering similar actions.

According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, France and the UK have also given the green light to strike targets in Russia with their long-range missiles, although the French newspaper later revised this report to state that it is currently only being considered. It is still unclear if Germany will follow suit. Western allies have been discussing this sensitive issue for over half a year. Americans and Germans, in particular, deemed it too risky to authorize the use of weapons that could reach deep into Russian territory.

Russian President Putin warned earlier this fall that it is a 'red line' for him and threatened once again with a nuclear response, a threat he has made several times before. The Russian parliament, the Duma, cautions about the risk of a third world war. Kiev aims to use the weapons to keep the Russians at bay and target locations used for airstrikes on Ukraine. Several countries, including the Netherlands, lobbied alongside Ukraine to get the green light.

According to American media, President Biden's decision is in response to Russian deployment of North Korean soldiers. The news emerged Sunday after one of the heaviest Russian airstrikes in a long time, where Moscow focused primarily on critical energy infrastructure. It is unclear if Biden discussed the issue with the future White House resident, Donald Trump. With his arrival, the pressure on Ukraine to negotiate with Russia seems to increase. Moscow will claim territory. Various commentators believe that Biden wants to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position as much as possible with his weapon decision.

Europe is now watching another major arms supplier, Germany. Will Berlin also donate Taurus missiles for use against targets in Russian territory? The divided German government seems once again unable to find common ground. Upon arrival in Brussels, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens stated that her party is still in favor. For the doubters, she had a message: 'Putin is deliberately playing with our fear in Europe.'

Last Friday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Putin for the first time in almost two years. The Russian president's response was a new rain of bombs on Ukraine. The call elicited a sharp response from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: 'No one will stop Putin with phone calls.' The Sunday attack, one of the war's largest, proved that telephone diplomacy cannot replace real Western support for Ukraine. The coming weeks will be crucial, not only for the war itself but also for our future.

In Brussels, EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday. There is more criticism of Scholz's phone call. Lithuanian Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis calls it a 'strange strategy' and points to Putin's reaction on Sunday: 'Why are we doing this? It is very difficult to understand.'

This week in Europe, there is much discussion about Ukraine. In addition to the Foreign Ministers' meeting, EU Defense Ministers will speak with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on the progress of the war on Tuesday. Europe also commemorates one thousand days since the start of the Russian aggression war. On Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the European Parliament.