The Trump administration has reportedly prevented Ukraine from using U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets within Russian territory. This restriction was revealed by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by Reuters, which cited unnamed U.S. officials.
According to these reports, the Pentagon has been quietly blocking Ukraine’s use of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for operations inside Russia. The decision limits Ukraine’s options as it continues its defense against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
The situation comes after a recent summit in Alaska between former President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where it was agreed that Russia and Ukraine would negotiate further meetings involving Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite these diplomatic efforts, progress has been slow.
In response to the lack of advancement in peace talks, Trump stated that he may impose sanctions and tariffs on Russia within two weeks if there is no improvement. He also indicated that he might withdraw from the peace process altogether.
Recently, Ukrainian forces attacked the Druzhba pipeline for the third time, disrupting Russian oil exports to Hungary and Slovakia and raising concerns about energy security in those countries. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán voiced his frustration online, prompting a direct response from Trump: “I am very angry about it!”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth currently holds final authority over whether or not these long-range weapons can be used by Ukraine, according to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
Requests for comment sent to Ukraine’s presidential office and defense ministry were not immediately answered. The White House and Pentagon also did not respond to inquiries at this time.
