The US will maintain its military support for Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed.
Following Russia’s reported test of a new hypersonic ballistic missile, the White House affirmed that its policy on the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged. Jean-Pierre told reporters that the US was aware of the launch, which targeted a Ukrainian military industrial facility, and had previously briefed Ukraine and allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of the ‘Oreshnik’ missile, citing NATO’s actions against Russia as justification. The Kremlin gave the US only 30 minutes’ notice prior to the launch, according to spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
“We were aware of Russia’s launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine,” Jean-Pierre stated. She added that the US had “briefed Ukraine and our close allies and partners in recent days” about the impending strike.
Putin attributed the escalation to the West’s provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine, enabling strikes deep into Russian territory. The White House spokesperson declined to comment directly on whether the US had lifted restrictions on the use of ATACMS, but asserted that Russia is solely responsible for any escalation.
“We will not be deterred. We will continue to ensure that Ukrainians have what they need on the ground,” Jean-Pierre declared. She also confirmed that the White House sees no need to alter its nuclear posture in response to Russia’s actions. Putin cautioned that further deployments of the Oreshnik missile will depend on the actions of the US and its allies.