Defiant Biden says US 'supports Ukraine's sovereignty' after Russia's WW3 warning over long-range missile threat
18 November 2024, 17:24 | Updated: 18 November 2024, 17:28
Joe Biden has said that the US supports Ukraine's sovereignty amid a brewing row over the US giving Kyiv permission to use its missiles to strike deep within Russia.
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Mr Biden made the decision after months of pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sparking an angry response from Moscow.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Brazil, Mr Biden said: "We all have to work to end the conflicts and crises that are eroding progress to improve security around the world."
He added that “the United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"Everyone around this table, in my view, should as well.” Britain is set to discuss Ukraine using its long-range missiles in Russia on Monday evening.
But the Kremlin has accused the US of seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine with several Russian politicians warning that it will lead to World War Three.
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Russian politician Maria Butina, who is one of Putin's allies, said: "These guys, Biden's administration, [are] trying to escalate the situation to the maximum while they still have power and are still in office.
"I have a great hope that [Donald] Trump will overcome this decision if this has been made because they are seriously risking the start of World War Three which is not in anybody's interest."
A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson added in a statement: "Kyiv's use of long-range missiles to attack our territory would represent the direct involvement of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia, as well as a radical change in the essence and nature of the conflict.
"Russia's response in such a case will be appropriate and tangible".
Leonid Slutsky, who is head of the pro-Kremlin Liberal-Democratic Party, said the decision would "inevitably lead to a serious escalation, threatening serious consequences".
Meanwhile, Russian senator Vladimir Dzhabarov said it was "an unprecedented step towards World War Three".
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia's Tass news agency: "If such a decision has indeed been formulated and communicated to the Kyiv regime, then, of course, this is a qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions and a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict."
It comes after Donald Trump Jr also voiced his concerns over the move earlier on Monday.
"The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives," he tweeted.
"Gotta lock in those $Trillions. Life be damned!!! Imbeciles!"
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Ukraine plans to carry out the first long-range attacks in just days, according to Reuters.
It is expected to use ATACMS rockets which have a range of up to 300 kilometres in the offensive.
President Zelenskyy has been pushing Mr Biden for months for the green light, with him arguing that the restrictions mean Ukraine is unable to stop Russian attacks on its cities.
The White House has not commented on the reports.
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There has been concern about the level of support the US may continue to give Ukraine when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has said "we need to double down" on support for Ukraine.
He pledged that Ukraine was "top" of his agenda at this week's G20 summit of world leaders and told reporters that "there's got to be full support as long as it takes".
"We need to double down on shoring up our support for Ukraine and that's top of my agenda for the G20," he said on Sunday.
