Putin Warns of “Direct Entry” into War If NATO Allows Ukraine to Strike Deeper into Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to NATO, stating that allowing Ukraine to use longer-range missiles to strike inside Russia would be seen as a direct entry into the war by the alliance, CNN reports.

Putin’s comments come amidst growing speculation that the US and Western allies might be open to lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-provided long-range weapons systems, a capability Kyiv has been pushing for.

“This will mean that NATO countries – the United States and European countries – are at war with Russia. And if this is the case, then, bearing in mind the change in the essence of the conflict, we will make appropriate decisions in response to the threats that will be posed to us,” Putin told reporters.

While the US has shifted its policy to permit limited cross-border strikes into Russia using US-provided weapons, the Biden administration has yet to authorize the use of longer-range systems. US officials have expressed concerns that such actions could escalate the conflict, a sentiment echoed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in Kyiv discussing these restrictions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin questioned Ukraine’s capability to carry out long-range strikes without direct NATO assistance, stating that the Ukrainian army is “not capable of using cutting-edge high-precision long-range systems supplied by the West” without NATO involvement in targeting. The US has already been providing intelligence to Ukraine and has previously assisted with targeting, although not for the long-range systems currently under consideration.

The US first provided Ukraine with Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles in October of 2023, which have a maximum range of about 180 miles. However, Kyiv has repeatedly called for the use of weapons systems that would provide a longer reach inside Russian territory.