(upd 3) A real military thriller has been unfolding in recent hours in the United States.
The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump lifted a “critical restriction” that prevented Ukraine from using certain types of missiles to strike deep into Russian territory.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, the Washington administration reportedly gave “green light” to Kyiv to use British Storm Shadow missiles for strikes within Russian territory.
The report even claimed that the related decision was made shortly before Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House last week.
However, shortly afterward, Trump stated that the report does not reflect reality.
Categorical denial from Trump
Trump categorically denied the Wall Street Journal report, which stated that Washington allowed Ukraine to launch attacks “deep within Russian territory” using Western long-range weapons.
In a post on the Truth Social platform on Wednesday, 22/10/2025, Trump called the report “fake news,” categorically stating that the United States “has nothing to do” with such operations.
“The U.S. has no involvement with these missiles—wherever they come from—nor with how Ukraine uses them!” he stated emphatically.
What the WSJ report claimed
According to the newspaper, the lifting of restrictions for missile strikes came after the transfer of powers for reviewing such attacks from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to NATO Europe Supreme Allied Commander General Alex Grinkevich.
Russia has repeatedly pointed out that long-range strikes are not carried out by Kyiv, but by Western countries, whose experts provide information and guidance for striking targets.
U.S.: Pressure on the Kremlin
The aim of the decision, according to U.S. officials who spoke to the newspaper, is for the intensification of Ukrainian attacks on targets within Russia to increase pressure on the Kremlin.
Ukraine used a Storm Shadow cruise missile, provided by Britain, on Tuesday, 21/10/2022, to strike a Russian factory in Bryansk that produced explosives and missile fuel, announced the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on social media.
They described the attack as a “successful strike” that penetrated Russian air defenses.
In October, Trump attempted to pressure Moscow to discuss ending the conflict, even proposing sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
However, after reactions, Trump withdrew this proposal, although according to U.S. sources, more Ukraine strikes using Storm Shadow are expected.
This decision appears to have a strategic objective of creating conditions of pressure on Russia’s economy and military infrastructure, which could force Russia to reconsider its strategy.
Ukraine has already carried out deep strikes into Russia, using domestic unmanned devices and a small number of domestic missiles, particularly targeting energy and oil infrastructure.
NATO bought weapons for Ukraine from the U.S. worth $2 billion
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced in a press conference during his visit to Washington that NATO countries have purchased weapons for Ukraine from the U.S. worth $2 billion.
Specifically, Rutte stated that Trump decided to start sending weapons to Ukraine, for which NATO countries are paying.
“President Trump decided to begin the shipment of weapons to Ukraine, which NATO countries are paying for.
NATO is actively working on this issue, and the first deliveries from the U.S. to Ukraine have already taken place,” said Rutte.
The NATO Secretary General referred to the PURL initiative, in which NATO countries jointly purchase U.S. weapons through $500 million installments for immediate deliveries from the U.S. to Ukraine.
Answering a journalist’s question regarding the recent meeting of the U.S. President with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Rutte dismissed claims that it was “disastrous,” emphasizing that he considers it a “good and successful” meeting.
Additionally, he denied that his visit to the U.S. was urgent, saying he had already communicated with President Trump via SMS regarding this visit.
Regarding the purpose of his visit, Rutte stated that he planned to discuss with Trump “NATO’s strategic situation in Ukraine,” a discussion that, he said, was not originally on the visit’s agenda.
Sweeping escalation of sanctions
The U.S. is preparing for a new, sweeping escalation of sanctions against Russia, according to statements from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, reported by RIA Novosti.
Washington is expected to announce the new restrictive measures in the coming hours.
Bessent clarified that the new U.S. economic restrictions against Russia will be sanctions and not secondary tariffs.
“These are sanctions, not secondary tariffs,” he said in an interview with Fox Business.
The head of the U.S. Treasury Department refused to provide details about the upcoming anti-Russian restrictions but stated emphatically that the new economic measures “will be among the largest sanctions” ever imposed by the U.S. on Russia.
Three new anti-Russian bills in the Senate
This move comes while earlier a U.S. Senate committee had already approved three new anti-Russian bills.
Specifically, it supported:
-
A bill aimed at using frozen Russian assets in the U.S. to aid Kyiv.
-
A bill that adds Russia to the U.S. list of so-called “terrorist states.”
-
An initiative to impose sanctions due to China’s alleged support for Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών