Protecting Putin? Trump administration quietly banned Ukraine from striking inside Russia, suggests report

US defence officials have quietly restricted Ukraine from using American-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia since late spring, suggests a report published on Saturday (Aug 23). The move is said to be part of a Trump administration effort to nudge Vladimir Putin toward peace talks. According to the Wall Street Journal, Washington has blocked Ukraine from using Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which can hit targets over a hundred miles away. Here's all you need to know about it.

Who can give Ukraine the permission to use ATACMS?

As per the report, US's restrictions apply to the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which can hit targets nearly 190 miles (305.78 km) away. According to two US officials, Ukraine tried to use the system at least once but was blocked under a special "review mechanism" created by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's undersecretary for policy. The process governs how US long-range weapons or those that make use of American intelligence and components can be used. The same restrictions also cover Britain's Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which rely on American targeting data.

The review mechanism gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth final say on when — or if — ATACMS can be used.

It's unclear whether the new review process amounts to a formal policy shift, but it does reflect Washington's tighter control over how weapons are deployed. With US stockpiles running low, officials have also slowed fresh deliveries. Last month, the administration agreed to send Ukraine new weapons systems — but only if European allies picked up the bill.

Trump protecting Putin?

According to a Guardian report, the Biden administration had previously allowed Ukraine to use ATACMS against Russian targets last November, shortly after North Korean troops entered the war.

But, unlike his predecessor, the current US President Donald Trump is not in favour of Kyiv hitting deep inside Russia using ATACMS. In January, just before his inauguration, Trump told Time magazine that the decision had been a mistake and said that it only "escalates" the war. "I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done," he told the magazine.

However, despite Trump ruling out providing longer-range systems that could reach Moscow, US officials told the WSJ that the administration has approved the sale of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) air-launched missiles, which have a range of 280 miles (450.62 km).

Trump-Putin bromance sours

Even as the White House insists there has been "no change" in the US' military posture, Trump's own words have been mixed. He has repeatedly stressed that the war must end, but last week argued Ukraine could not defeat Russia without striking inside its territory.

In a social media post on Thursday he wrote, "It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country". He added that "It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning".