Putin Warns West Against Allowing Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Soil

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the West's permission for Ukraine to use long-range weapons on Russian territory will involve NATO directly in the conflict. He also emphasized that Moscow is prepared to respond to these evolving threats.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that permitting Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western long-range weapons would signify direct involvement of the West in the conflict, fundamentally altering its nature. His cautionary remarks precede a scheduled meeting between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday, where the use of long-range missiles by Kyiv will be a core topic.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been urging the Biden administration and other Western allies to allow long-range missile strikes on Russia. Addressing recent statements from the US and UK supporting such actions, Putin remarked, "The Ukrainian regime is already executing strikes using drones and other methods, but using Western-made, high-precision long-range weapons is a different story entirely." He argued that Ukraine's lack of advanced intelligence capabilities would make them dependent on NATO's data and personnel, thus implicating NATO directly.

Putin cautioned that NATO's direct involvement would change the essence of the conflict completely, implying NATO and Western countries would be at war with Russia. During a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Poland, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine's defense, suggesting an increased pressure on Russia to end the conflict. Meanwhile, the US has pledged an additional USD 250 million in military aid at a recent meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

(With inputs from agencies.)