The WSJ is reporting that the US has lifted key restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western long-range missiles
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Specifically British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, for strikes inside Russia, an increase pressure on the Kremlin.
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Authority to approve cross-border strikes shifted from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the top U.S. general in Europe and NATO commander.
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The decision restores approval power to U.S. European Command, reversing the Pentagon’s prior centralized control.
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The change allows Ukraine to expand its cross-border attacks, such as the recent strike on a Russian plant in Bryansk producing explosives and rocket fuel.
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U.S. influence remains because Storm Shadows rely on American targeting data.
Last week Pres. Trump met with Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy on Friday. He denied the authorization to sell and use Tomahawk missiles. Trump met with Putin on Thursday where Putin lobbied for not providing the Tomahawk missiles. At the time, Trump and Putin agreed to try to meet in Budapest in 2 weeks time. Since then, the scheduled meeting has been postponed. Russia says they still hope to meet, but Trump says, he does not want to meet if there is no chance for results. Putin has a way to a his own deal making strategy and it tends to overpromise and then under deliver.
