US Helsinki Commission urges US encouragement of strikes on Russian targets, not just permission

The US should authorize Ukraine to use American weapons to strike against the Russian Armed Forces in border regions of Russia. These forces are assisting in the offensive operation in the Kharkiv region, including firing upon Ukrainian territory. The US Helsinki Commission made this statement.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports this.

The Helsinki Commission is a non-governmental organization established by the US Congress in 1975 to monitor and promote compliance with the Helsinki Agreements and other OSCE commitments.

The commission stated on May 15 that the US should "not only allow but also encourage" Ukrainian forces to strike at Russian troops stationed and firing from Russia's border areas as part of offensive operations in the north of Kharkiv region.

ISW emphasizes that Ukrainian strikes against Russian forces, which directly support offensive ground operations in the north of the Kharkiv region, would be defensive in nature, and it would be incorrect to characterize such actions as "offensive."

ISW analysts insist that the US restrictions on Ukraine's ability to strike military targets in Russia have created shelters in the border areas of the Russian Federation, from where Russian aircraft can launch planned bomb and missile strikes on Ukrainian positions and populated areas. Also, in these shelters, the forces of the occupiers freely accumulate before transferring to the territory of Ukraine.

"This US policy seriously undermines Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian offensive operations in the north of the Kharkiv region," the Institute's report says.

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From the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, the United States provided military aid to Ukraine on the condition that American weapons would not be used for strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Russian invaders use this in their actions against Ukraine. In particular, now, combined with other factors, the US ban allows the Russians to attack Ukrainian defenders and occupy populated areas in the Kharkiv region without hindrance.

A group of Ukrainian parliamentarians is in Washington this week seeking Congressional help in resolving the issue, which they say is stymieing Ukraine's military action as Kyiv seeks to strike Russian military depots located abroad.

However, so far, the position of the White House has not changed.

Against the background of the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, during his visit to Kyiv on May 14, State Secretary Anthony Blinken announced a new military aid package worth $400 million.

It should be added that last month, Congress finally approved the long-awaited 61 billion-dollar package of military aid to Ukraine.

As previously reported, US President's National Security Assistant Jake Sullivan also said that his country is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will be announced in the coming days.

In addition, the White House said it is working with allies to supply Ukraine with more Patriot batteries.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on May 15 that the US would provide Ukraine with a "defense enterprise fund" in the amount of two billion dollars.