North Korea’s participation in the war against Ukraine convinced Biden to lift restrictions on long-range strikes.

The initial targets may be Russian positions in the Kursk region, where about 10,000 Korean troops are currently stationed. ATACMS strikes are believed to be more effective than long-range Ukrainian drones. However, according to some Western officials, this development is unlikely to fundamentally change the war’s course because Russia can continue to move its weapons beyond missile range.

Analysts claim that for a significant effect, the permission to strike should apply not only to the Kursk region. The Western partners should allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to hit targets on Russian territory along the entire perimeter of the border.

Putin’s press secretary, Dmytro Peskov, called the authorization to strike deep into the Russian Federation with Western weapons “a new twist in tensions” and “a qualitatively new situation from the point of view of the involvement of the US in this conflict.”

After the US decision, China called for an early ceasefire in Ukraine, saying that a political solution to the conflict is in the interests of all parties.