Joe Biden says no to rockets for Kyiv

President Joe Biden has ruled out sending Ukraine long-range missiles that could be used to strike Russia, despite pleas from Kyiv.

A US missile is launched during training in Kuwait in 2003.

President Joe Biden has ruled out sending Ukraine long-range missiles that could be used to strike Russia, despite pleas from Kyiv.

Speaking at the White House before his Memorial Day ­address Monday (Tuesday AEST), Mr Biden appeared to quash recent speculation that the US was leaning towards agreeing to a Ukrainian request for the Multiple Launch Rocket System. “We are not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia,” Mr Biden said.

The MLRS has a top range of more than 290km, much greater than current Ukrainian capabilities. It has been the top priority among Kyiv’s requests for US military hardware as it seeks to stem the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine. CNN and The Washington Post reported last week that the Biden administration could sanction transfer of the MLRS to Ukraine within days. It was not immediately clear which missile system Mr Biden was referring on Monday, but his comments appeared to dash Ukrainian hopes.

The White House is seeking to sustain a flow of arms to Ukrainian forces without provoking retaliation from Moscow against US forces or allies.

The Kremlin warned again last week that any country providing advanced military support to Ukraine would face repercussions.

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said on Friday that supplying weapons capable of hitting Russia would be a “serious step towards unacceptable escalation”.

Senior officials in Washington have suggested that the US could sidestep the issue of hitting Russian territory by holding back the longest-range missiles compatible with the MLRS. The typical missile used with the system has a range of 75km, still more than double the reach of Ukraine’s current firepower. The M777 howitzers already sent by the US to aid Ukraine’s defence have a range of about 28km.

Despite the rapid flow of Western-made arms to Ukraine, Russian forces still retain an ­advantage in firepower.

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, said last week the situation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine was “extremely bad”. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, he urged the US to follow through on its “promise” to supply longer-range missiles to Ukraine.

The Times