The verbal cross appeared on Friday when a statement from U.S. President Joe Biden to a reporter regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that war may lead if the country eased restrictions on Ukraine’s use of longer-range missiles was made. The event occurred at the White House of the United States of America while he was meeting with the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
When Biden opened his remarks, James Matthews asked a question about Putin’s threat. Biden got visibly agitated and said: “I say, you shut up; I have not finished speaking yet, okay? That’s a good idea, is it?” Matthews did not want to let the matter go, and Biden snapped back: “Here is the thing, you have to keep quiet… I will make a statement here now… is that okay?”
‘That is something that we are still trying to figure out’
Biden’s remarks came at the time of debates on the possibility of the US allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles against Russian assets, according to the New York Post. Earlier in the week, Biden stated that he was considering increasing the liberalization of Kyiv to use more of the U. S weaponry; “We are thinking about that; we are working it right now. ”
To these discussions, Putin countered that the support that the U.S. and NATO have offered and continue to offer Ukraine in this manner put them in a state of war with Russia. He said that programming Western missiles would mean the engagement of NATO military personnel, hence leading to aggravation of the conflict.
This exchange takes place against the backdrop of continued military aid to Ukraine and the latter’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyei, pressuring allies to enable the use of long-range missiles in the face of further interference by Russia. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with the ATACMS missiles, which can target up to 190 miles, while the UK has supplied the Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of about 155 miles.
