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BIDEN SAYS PUTIN ‘NATOIZED’ EUROPE WITH WAR IN UKRAINE
Biden was asked about the potential move by reporters outside the White House and said that his administration would not send Ukraine rocket systems that strike into world-regions.
The Washington Post reported that the administration was mulling providing the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), which would allow Ukrainians to fire rockets much further than they are currently able.
MLRS had reportedly been a top request from Ukrainian officials, who say they need it to stop the advance of Russian forces in the east, which has taken control of the key city of Lyman last week.
May 30, 2022: President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington after returning from Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The Washington Post reported that the State Department had said the White House had concerns that providing Ukraine with the MLRS could result in a situation in which Ukrainians fire rockets into Russian territory — which would spark a major escalation in the conflict. Officials had reportedly mulled managing the risk by withholding some of the longest-range rockets available.
Russia has objected loudly to moves by the West to provide Ukraine with weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken to leaders of France and Germany on Saturday and warned against continued transfers of weapons to Ukraine.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: RUSSIA’S UKRAINE WAR, WITNESSING 3 MONTHS OF TRAGEDY
Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. had said that any move by America to send long-range rocket systems to Ukraine would be “unacceptable” and demanded that “Washington does not take such a provocative step.”
Rebekah Koffler, former DIA intelligence officer and author of “Putin’s Playbook,” said that sending those systems to Ukraine would be seen as escalatory by Moscow, which comes with significant risks and a potential Russian response.
“Whether we believe we are climbing the escalatory ladder or not, it’s irrelevant, it’s how the Russians perceive it, because they are acting on it,” she said.
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Koffler said that another motivation for Biden could be concern about how the systems would be used by the Ukrainians.
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The Biden administration had received criticism from hawkish Republicans for not moving quickly enough to provide Ukraine with the systems. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that the administration has been “dragging their feet” on the Ukrainian request.
“Apparently, providing Ukraine this new capability creates concerns among some in the Biden Administration that it will be seen as provocative and escalatory in the eyes of Putin,” he tweeted.
“It is time to stop Putin from dictating the actions of the free world.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
