Western nations have eliminated range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine, allowing strikes deep into Russian territory as the Kremlin warns the move threatens peace negotiations.

At a Glance

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Western allies have lifted range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine
• Ukraine can now use these weapons to strike military positions inside Russia, a significant policy shift
• The Kremlin has called this decision “quite dangerous” and warned it undermines peace negotiation efforts
• President Putin responded by expanding Russia’s nuclear doctrine and threatening potential retaliation
• The U.S. clarified it supports Ukraine using these weapons defensively, not for deep strikes into Russian territory

Western Allies Remove Weapons Restrictions

In a major policy shift, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Ukraine’s Western allies have removed range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine. This controversial decision allows Ukrainian forces to use long-range missiles and other weapons to strike military targets inside Russian territory.

Previously, long-range missile use had been restricted to Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation, limiting Ukraine’s ability to target military installations supporting the invasion from within Russia’s borders.

“There are no longer any range restrictions for weapons supplied to Ukraine, neither from the British, the French, us or the Americans. This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, including, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia, which it couldn’t do up to a certain point,” Merz stated in his announcement that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic channels.

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Russia’s Strong Response

The Kremlin has responded with alarm to this development. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the decision and expanded Russia’s nuclear doctrine in response, signaling Moscow views this as a significant escalation. Putin also suggested Russia might provide similar long-range weapons to nations hostile to Western interests, though analysts doubt Russia would follow through on this threat. The comments mark a shift in Russian rhetoric, indicating potential retaliation against Western countries themselves.

“If these decisions have indeed been made, they are completely at odds with our aspirations for a political (peace) settlement… These are quite dangerous decisions, if they have been made,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russia’s State Duma Defense Committee chairman, Andrei Kartapolov, dismissed the impact of the decision, claiming: “This is nothing new for us, we’ve been foreseeing this possibility for a long time and are ready for it. We’re successfully carrying out the special military operation and Ukraine is currently losing.” Moscow has consistently warned that Ukrainian strikes using long-range missiles like Germany’s Taurus would be interpreted as direct involvement by those nations in the conflict.

NATO’s Divided Approach

The decision to lift range restrictions reflects growing support among NATO allies for Ukraine to use Western-provided weapons more freely, especially in defending border regions like Kharkiv, which has faced renewed Russian pressure. The United States and Britain first authorized limited strikes on Russian soil last November after North Korean troops reportedly began supporting Russian forces. France has also supplied long-range missiles but has not explicitly confirmed their use against targets in Russia.

“There is not any rational, pragmatic reason not to allow Ukraine to use those weapons against Russia in a way that is the most efficient,” argued Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, reflecting the position of Ukraine’s strongest supporters.

However, the alliance remains cautious about potential escalation. U.S. President Joe Biden clarified American intentions, stating: “We’re not talking about giving them weapons to strike Moscow, to strike the Kremlin.” This suggests Western nations are attempting to balance Ukraine’s defensive needs against the risk of further inflaming the conflict, which has already caused significant destruction and casualties on both sides.

Implications for Peace Efforts

The decision comes at a sensitive time for potential peace negotiations. The Kremlin warns that lifting range restrictions directly contradicts efforts toward a diplomatic resolution. The previous German government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz had avoided sending long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine specifically to prevent escalating tensions with Russia. This policy shift under the new German leadership indicates a hardening Western position as the conflict drags on.

Oleg Ignatov from the International Crisis Group sees this as a significant change, indicating an escalation in the conflict rather than movement toward resolution. Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive operations, recently launching drone and missile attacks on Kyiv that injured at least eight people, demonstrating that active hostilities continue regardless of diplomatic positioning.

As both sides adjust to this new reality, the conflict appears poised to enter a potentially more dangerous phase with increased long-range strikes and heightened rhetoric, moving further from, rather than closer to, a negotiated peace settlement.