United States President Joe Biden reassured his government this Monday that long-range missiles would not be sent to Ukraine. Kyiv has repeatedly requested weapons capable of reaching Russian territory, and the administration has weighed those requests against broader strategic considerations.
Asked by reporters at the White House whether Washington intends to supply systems with extended reach to Ukraine, Biden replied that the United States will not dispatch missile systems that can strike faraway targets. The remarks came as he prepared to visit Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, where he would participate in a Memorial Day ceremony honoring fallen U.S. service members, a holiday observed as part of the nation’s traditions.
Earlier this year, Biden urged Congress to provide additional funding to sustain military aid to Ukraine, ensuring the replenishment of U.S. military stocks and sustaining resistance to Russian aggression.
“We need more money to secure America,” he declared, emphasizing that aid would be delivered directly to support Ukraine’s defense, while also underscoring the human and financial commitment to the Ukrainian people.
In late April, Biden formally requested 33 billion dollars in new assistance for Ukraine, with more than 20 billion earmarked for military support to counter the Russian occupation of Kyiv. While Pentagon and White House spokespeople insisted that aid to Ukraine would not compromise U.S. defense readiness, they acknowledged ongoing stock assessments with each shipment to Kyiv.
During a Pentagon briefing, officials did not rule out the possibility of supplying long-range rockets to Ukraine to counter momentum in eastern Ukraine. CNN reported that U.S. officials had discussed Kyiv’s growing need for long-range artillery as Russia intensified its campaign in the Donbas region.
Although Washington did not explicitly confirm future deliveries of such weapons, a Defense Department spokesperson said the United States maintains regular communications with Kyiv about its evolving requirements. He noted that Ukraine has requested both private and public rocket systems with multiple launchers, without indicating whether procurement would proceed.
As of now, the United States has provided Kyiv with a series of aid packages, including multiple shipments described as care packages, with the eleventh package reportedly ready for deployment. Officials described the Donbas situation as highly dynamic, with fronts shifting as cities and towns changed hands on a near-daily basis. Ukraine has regained several positions after Russian advances, even as Moscow pressed forward in other sectors.
In a broader context, CNN cited government officials suggesting that a potential announcement could come in the following week regarding the delivery of additional multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) as part of a wider military aid package intended to bolster Ukraine’s defenses against the Russian invasion. The dialogue highlighted ongoing assessments of battlefield needs, stock levels, and the strategic calculus guiding U.S. aid decisions. (Sources: Pentagon briefings, CNN reporting)