Biden authorized Ukraine to strike Russia with U.S.-supplied long-range missiles

President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russia, Reuters reported, citing sources.

This marks a U.S. policy shift coming at the tail end of Biden’s time in office. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to limit U.S. support for Ukraine and end its war with Russia.

The U.S. has provided $175 billion in aid to Ukraine — more than any other country — making American support crucial to Ukraine’s defense against Russia. A withdrawal of support could deal a major blow to Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia’s attacks.

In May, Biden secretly gave Ukraine permission to use American weapons to strike Russia just over the border. At the time, Ukraine was prohibited from using longer-range weapons to strike deeper into the country, sources told NBC News.

On Sunday, Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles in Ukraine that killed at least seven people and caused severe damage to the power infrastructure.