President Joe Biden’s controversial decision to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-supplied long-range missiles has been met with widespread backlash, with critics warning that the move edges the world closer to a catastrophic global conflict.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky hinted that these weapons could now be used to strike targets deep inside Russia, a shift that Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned would “significantly change the nature of the conflict.”
Zelensky’s comments came in a video address on Sunday evening, where he made a veiled reference to the potential use of ATACMS missiles. “Missiles will speak for themselves. They certainly will,” he said, without detailing the intended targets.
Reports suggest that the Biden administration’s reversal on the long-standing policy against such strikes marks a dangerous escalation in the ongoing war, with the potential to provoke direct confrontation between NATO and Russia.
Critics from across the political spectrum took to social media to condemn the move, pointing to its potential for sparking a larger war.
Prominent commentator Andrew Tate criticised Biden’s decision, suggesting it was orchestrated by hidden forces: “Why are people pretending Biden authorised strikes into Russian territory? Biden hasn’t got a clue what’s going on. The Matrix did. War allows them to retain control. It’s a final act of desperation before the cleansing fire. Pray they fail.”
Former Marine intelligence officer Scott Ritter accused the Biden administration of effectively declaring war on Russia: “The Biden administration just gave Ukraine the green light to use US-made and provided ATACMS missiles against Russian targets inside Russian territory… The decision reflects a growing sense of desperation… Russia will not accept this escalation by doing nothing. Russia’s response will be decisive and possibly include hitting targets outside Ukraine.”
Ritter added that the Biden administration’s decision could backfire, leaving President-elect Donald Trump to inherit a volatile situation. “Trump does not want a war with Russia, inherited or otherwise,” he warned, suggesting that Biden’s move was a strategic miscalculation.
Donald Trump Jr. lambasted the decision as a profit-driven ploy by defense contractors, tweeting: “The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives. Gotta lock in those $Trillions. Life be damned!!! Imbeciles!”
Journalist Chay Bowes didn’t mince words in his condemnation, branding Biden’s decision reckless: “This idiot may have just started WW3.”
Putin has previously warned that NATO’s involvement in strikes on Russian soil would signify direct participation in the conflict, potentially forcing Russia to retaliate beyond Ukraine’s borders.
