The Kremlin warned the White House Monday that the Biden administration's decision over the weekend to permit Ukraine to target areas beyond its borders could escalate regional tensions and provoke a potential response from Moscow.
“It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps, and they have been talking about this, to continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict,” government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a press briefing.
Peskov's concerns follow reports indicating that Washington will now allow Kiev to use its U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to strike Russian military positions far from the warzone. The decision to ease restrictions on the advanced weapons system comes after months of lobbying by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who argues a more aggressive use of the platform is essential to address recent territorial losses by his armed forces.
Peskov reminded reporters of comments made by President Vladimir Putin in September, where he said if such permission were granted to Kiev, he would consider NATO nations to be at war with Russia.
The threats from Putin also follow reported discussions within Russia's Security Council, proposing the easing of the country's nuclear response doctrine in the event of incursions on its territory.
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