French President Emmanuel Macron voiced his support for President Joe Biden's decision to permit Ukraine to use US-made weapons for strikes inside Russia. In a statement made late Monday, Macron called the decision "a good decision," reflecting his endorsement of the US shift in policy regarding Ukraine's military capabilities in the ongoing war with Russia.

Macron alleged that Biden's shift in policy came in response to Russia escalating the war by deploying DPRK soldiers to fight alongside its forces. "Russia is the only power that made an escalatory decision ... it's really this break that led to the U.S. decision," Macron told reporters at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Global dynamics shift

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously stated that the use of US weapons to target Russian locations marked "a qualitatively new situation in terms of the involvement of the United States in this conflict."

Earlier this year, Macron expressed support for allowing Ukraine to target military sites inside Russia, arguing that Moscow was exploiting Western restrictions on the use of donated missiles.

Reports surfaced on Sunday that President Biden’s outgoing administration had authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles against Russia. President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he would pursue a peace deal with Russia and threatened to cut off aid to Ukraine.

Following the US shift, the UK is expected to supply Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, while Germany has maintained its position of not providing long-range missiles to Ukraine.

Biden authorizes Ukraine's use of ATACMs for strikes inside Russia

According to The New York Times, US President Joe Biden has for the first time approved Ukraine's request to use US long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory, signaling a dramatic shift in US policy.

The Biden administration was afraid that Kiev's potential strikes with long-range missiles could prompt Russia to launch a military reaction against the US and its allies, the article stated on Sunday.

The decision to provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles has been a contentious issue since the war in Ukraine began, with some Pentagon officials concerned about limited US supplies, while White House officials feared escalating the war by supplying the missiles.

Supporters of a tougher stance on Russia argue that Biden’s cautious approach has hindered Ukraine’s battlefield success, while others believe it has helped avoid direct Russian retaliation.

As Russia intensifies its offensive in Kursk, US officials are increasingly concerned about Ukraine’s strained military, and it is possible Biden's policy shift is motivated by fears that Donald Trump will end US support for Ukraine.

Trump criticized Zelensky's relationship with the Biden administration, labeling him "the greatest salesman in history" for securing billions in aid from Biden's administration.

The US has been Ukraine's largest donor since the outbreak of the war in 2022, with Congress allocating tens of billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid. Moscow has consistently condemned this support, arguing that it prolongs the conflict and will not alter the outcome.