Biden Answers Missile Pleas From Ukraine As Clock Ticks Down

Russia's Vladimir Putin has argued that Ukraine's US-made ATACMS missile against targets inside Russia would mean the NATO alliance is 'at war' with Moscow (Credit: AFP)

US President Joe Biden's decision to authorize Ukraine to use long-range American missiles against targets inside Russia is a bold shift in position in the final months before he hands over power to Republican Donald Trump.

Despite repeated pleas for a greenlight from Ukraine, Biden had long resisted calls for a change from within the US Congress and latterly from allies such as Britain.