Biden approves long-range missiles for Ukraine amid Russian-North Korean alliance

President Joe Biden has approved the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to target Russian territory, a major shift in U.S. policy aimed at countering Moscow’s deepening military alliance with North Korea.

The decision, confirmed by a U.S. official and three sources familiar with the matter, allows Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMs) to strike deeper into Russian-held areas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had long urged for such a move, tempered his response with a characteristic sense of resolve. “Strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” Zelensky said during his nightly address.

This policy shift coincides with escalating Russian attacks, including a massive missile and drone assault described by Ukrainian officials as the largest in months. The strikes targeted energy infrastructure and civilian areas, with one in the city of Sumy killing at least eight people. “This is the reality of dealing with Putin,” Zelensky declared. “For anyone who thinks appeasement works, look at the rubble and the graves in Sumy.”

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Moscow’s reliance on North Korea has intensified, with as many as 12,000 North Korean troops now reinforcing Russian efforts to reclaim territory in the Kursk border region. North Korea has also provided significant munitions to bolster Russia’s dwindling stockpiles, prompting heightened concerns among NATO allies.

“This is not just a war between Russia and Ukraine anymore,” said a senior European diplomat on condition of anonymity. “It’s becoming a testing ground for autocratic regimes to challenge the democratic order.”

Western leaders have expressed unease about the new dynamic. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated calls for de-escalation, saying, “We want peace, we want fair peace. The priority must be avoiding a permanent deterioration of the war in Ukraine.”

Despite Biden’s reluctance to provoke Russia further, mounting pressure from Kyiv and its allies has driven the U.S. to expand Ukraine’s arsenal. Earlier delays in providing tanks, Patriot air defense systems, and F-16 fighter jets were similarly overturned after persistent lobbying from Zelensky and European leaders.

Opponents of the policy, including some within the U.S., argue that allowing Ukraine to strike deeper into Russia risks escalating the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously warned that such actions could lead Moscow to arm adversaries of NATO nations with long-range weaponry.

Biden’s decision also comes amid heightened political uncertainty following Donald Trump’s recent electoral victory. The president-elect has repeatedly criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine and indicated a preference for a negotiated settlement, raising fears that his administration might curtail American support.

Ukraine’s allies, however, remain adamant that Western backing must continue. “Stopping now means handing Putin everything he wants,” said a European Union official. “It would be a betrayal of Ukraine, democracy, and the very principles we stand for.”

In the meantime, Ukrainian forces are expected to use the ATACMs sparingly, given the limited supply. “Even a handful of strikes deeper into Russian territory could force their military to reconsider their strategy,” said a U.S. defense analyst.

For Zelensky, the stakes could not be higher. “Free nations do not negotiate with aggressors on their terms,” he said. “Ukraine will endure, and with our partners, we will prevail.”

As winter approaches and Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid intensify, the deployment of these long-range missiles could mark a turning point in the conflict. For both sides, the next moves will be critical in determining the trajectory of a war that has already reshaped global politics.