Biden signals openness to using Western long-range missiles inside Russia as he meets Britain’s leader to discuss

President Joe Biden is signaling new openness in allowing Ukraine to fire missiles provided by the West on targets deep inside Russia, and plans to discuss the matter with his new British counterpart at the White House on Friday.

President Joe Biden is signaling new openness in allowing Ukraine to fire missiles provided by the West on targets deep inside Russia, and plans to discuss the matter with his new British counterpart at the White House on Friday. Ahead of the meeting, US officials said they did not expect Biden would immediately sign-off on allowing US-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems — known as ATACMS — to be launched on targets inside Russia far from the Ukrainian border. But like the US, the United Kingdom has sent its own long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Kyiv. Their use, along with use of similar weapons from France, is currently limited to within Ukraine, and any change will require US sign-off — a matter for discussion at Friday’s talks. The president has long resisted calls from Ukrainian officials to ease restrictions on the weapons. But as the war grinds on, and as the US watches with growing concern as Iran supplies Russia with ballistic missiles, intensive discussions have been underway at the White House about a potential change. “We’re working that out right now,” Biden said when questioned this week whether he would permit Western-provided long-range missiles to target military sites like airfields, missile launchers, fuel tanks and ammunition depots inside Russia. Within the Biden administration, the debate has pitted some officials who support loosening the restrictions against others who appear more skeptical, wary both for the risk of escalation and the usefulness of such a move.