Blinken implies US could allow Ukraine to use American-made weapons to attack Russia

Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated on Wednesday that the United States could allow Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to attack Russia, signaling a break in precedent.

The U.S. has been strict about not allowing Ukraine to use American weapons on Russian targets, in an effort to avoid dragging the U.S. into the war. The United States has provided Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, among other weapons, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The potential shift comes after several European nations also agreed that Ukraine should be able to use western weapons on Russia, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claiming that Ukraine not being allowed to attack Russia was tying "one hand of the Ukrainians on their back."

Blinken said the U.S. has not supported or encouraged Ukraine to attack Russian territories, but would provide the country with the necessary weapons to protect itself, and that Ukraine could decide how to defend itself.

“Another hallmark of our support for Ukraine over these, now, more than two years has been to adapt as conditions have changed and the battlefield has changed, as what Russia does has changed in terms of how it’s pursuing its aggression and escalation,” Blinken said, the Wall Street Journal reported.  “We’ve adapted and adjusted, too, and I’m confident we’ll continue to do that.”

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby echoed Blinken's comments, and other administration officials have admitted that a change in the administration's position was under consideration. But the White House has not made a decision so far.

“We do not encourage nor do we enable attacks using U.S. weapons on Russian soil,” Kirby said after Blinken’s comments. “Our support to Ukraine has evolved appropriately as the battlefield conditions have evolved, and that’s not going to change, but right now, there’s also no change to our policy.”

The comments come as Russia makes territorial gains in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday that using western weapons on Russian territories could escalate the war, the Associated Press reported. 

Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said NATO countries, including the U.S., would likely send military trainers to Ukraine as Russia continues its advance.

“We’ll get there eventually, over time,” Brown told the New York Times earlier this month.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.