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No, no, yes: shifting red lines in West's assistance for Ukraine

Given that Russia's fullscale intrusion more than 30 months back, Ukraine has relied heavily on materials of weapons from its Western allies to beat back its much larger enemy.

Kyiv's allies have sometimes hesitated to provide it the weapons it has requested for, since of worries the war will intensify.

Nevertheless, as the war has actually gone on, one weapons system after another has actually been given to Ukraine after initial hesitation.

At present, Kyiv is seeking permission from the United States and its partners to use longer-range missiles they have given Ukraine to strike much deeper inside Russia. Kyiv says this could decrease the threat that Russia presents.

Some NATO nations have actually supported Kyiv's plea, but Washington is weighing this versus issues about Moscow's. reaction to the relocation, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has. said would be seen as equivalent to direct Western participation. in the war.

Below is a list of some of the weapons systems Western. nations were at first hesitant to provide Ukraine however which were. ultimately handed over.

ATACMS

Throughout the war, Ukraine has asked its allies to provide it. the capability to strike much deeper behind Russian lines, an important. part of disrupting opponent logistics and command chains.

The United States held off on supplying Army Tactical. Missile Systems (ATACMS) - since of concerns that Russia would. see this as escalatory - up until October 2023, when they provided. a short-range version with an optimal series of 165 km (100. miles).

This was followed up by deliveries in early 2024 of a. longer-range version of the ATACMS rocket which has a series of. as much as 300 km (165 miles). A U.S. official told Reuters at the. time that the first usage of this variation of the rocket was an. April 17 strike on an air base in the Russian-occupied peninsula. of Crimea.

F-16s

Ukraine asked for F-16 fighter jets from right after start of. the intrusion to boost its long-range strike capability as well as. to use the jets to shoot down the volleys of cruise rockets. fired deep into Ukraine by Moscow.

Ukrainian pilots started to be trained on the jets only in. August 2023, after prolonged negotiations between the union of. allies who would provide airplanes or training.

Ukraine was keen to complete the training process as quickly as. possible, and the confirmation that Ukraine had actually received the. initially planes came on July 31 this year.

Ever since, one of the aircrafts has actually crashed while trying. to engage Russian missiles fired at land targets in Ukraine.

WESTERN TANKS

Although Ukraine's eastern European allies offered it with. Soviet-era tanks at the start of the intrusion, Kyiv coveted. Western-built tanks, such as Britain's Challenger 2 and the. German-built Leopard 2, till their transfer was approved after. a lengthy negotiation in January 2023.

The agreement on a coalition of nations to provide the. tanks was delayed by concerns in Germany that the move could be. viewed as escalatory by Russia. Berlin eventually approved the. transfer of Leopard 2 tanks from other countries' stockpiles as. well as its own.

STRIKES ON RUSSIA

For over two years, the United States did not enable Ukraine. to strike Russia with any of its weapons systems.

After a Russian assault in May 2024 near the northwestern. city of Kharkiv, Washington changed its stance under pressure. from Kyiv.

Ukraine was secretly authorised by President Joe Biden to. fire U.S.-supplied weapons at military targets inside Russia. that were supporting the Kharkiv offensive.

(source: Reuters)