Top Democrat Senator joins Republicans in urging Biden to allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia

Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the influential Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has joined calls from House Republicans urging President Biden to relax restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-provided weapons for strikes deep inside Russian territory. Cardin declared on Wednesday, “It is imperative that we alleviate the constraints on Ukraine’s deployment of U.S.-supplied weapons.”

Bipartisan Support for Lifting Restrictions

Cardin’s stance aligns with a letter submitted to Biden on Monday by six House Republicans led by the chairs of the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence committees. The letter implored Biden to remove the existing limitations, arguing that it would enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and deter further Russian aggression.

Biden’s Response

In a press conference on Tuesday, Biden acknowledged that his administration is actively considering the request. “We are working on that right now,” Biden stated when asked about the possibility of providing Ukraine with long-range American missiles. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Kyiv, where this matter is expected to be discussed.

Current Restrictions and Ukrainian Military Capabilities

The Biden administration has maintained a prohibition on the use of American-made ATACMS missiles to strike deep into Russia, despite authorizing strikes across the Russian border in the vicinity of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. ATACMS missiles have a range of up to 200 miles. Notably, Ukrainian forces have demonstrated their resilience by striking Russian targets up to 1,000 miles from their border, including Moscow, the republic of Tatarstan, and an air base in Murmansk.

Cardin’s Rationale for Lifting Restrictions

Cardin highlighted Russia’s relentless targeting of Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure and the tragic attacks on civilians and a children’s cancer hospital in recent weeks. He described these actions as “outrageous” and emphasized that the ongoing onslaught demands a strategic response. “These escalating attacks warrant a relaxation of the restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided weapons,” Cardin emphasized. “Expanding their ability to target Russian military assets will diminish Moscow’s capacity to inflict harm on the Ukrainian people. The United States must act with urgency to authorize these permissions.”