Trump calls Biden's Ukraine missile decision 'very stupid'
3 Min Read
"I don't think they should have allowed missiles to be shot 200 miles into Russia," Trump told reporters during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday.
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President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, on Monday, December 16, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP)
President-elect Donald Trump criticized US President Joe Biden on Monday, describing his decision to allow Ukraine to use American missiles for strikes inside Russian territory as "a very stupid thing."
Biden approved the use of American-provided ATACMS missiles a month ago, enabling Ukraine to target locations within internationally recognized Russian territory. Trump’s incoming administration, which opposes such actions, was not consulted.
Since then, Ukrainian forces have conducted multiple missile strikes, including a recent attack on a military airfield near Taganrog in southern Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that two out of six missiles were intercepted by air defenses, while the remaining projectiles were redirected using electronic warfare systems.
"I don't think they should have allowed missiles to be shot 200 miles into Russia," Trump told reporters during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday.
"I don't think that should have been allowed. Not when there's a possibility… and certainly not just weeks before I take over, why would they do that without asking me what I thought?"
"I thought it was a very stupid thing to do," he continued, adding that he "might" rescind the authorization once he takes office next month.
Read more: Trump slams US missile policy in Ukraine as 'crazy'
Trump has repeatedly accused Biden of dragging the US into open war with Russia, and Monday's comments marked the second time in a week that he condemned the president's decision to authorize long-range ATACMS strikes.
"The most dangerous thing right now," he told Time Magazine on Thursday, is the fact that "[Ukrainian leader Volodymyr] Zelensky has decided, with the approval of, I assume, the president, to start shooting missiles into Russia."
"I think that is a major escalation. I think it is a foolish decision," he stressed.
Russia's Response
Russia views these strikes as a serious escalation, arguing that such actions require the "direct involvement of military experts from the manufacturing nations," Russian President Vladimir Putin stated last month.
In response to the initial attack on a military facility in Bryansk Region, Russia deployed its advanced Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile, hitting a Ukrainian military-industrial site in Dnepr with multiple warheads.
The Russian Defense Ministry has since vowed to deliver an "appropriate response" to the strike on Taganrog. On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed agreement with Trump's assessment of the situation, saying, "It is obvious that Trump understands what exactly is escalating the situation around the conflict."
Read more: Russia will respond in mirror-like fashion if Ukraine escalates: Putin
Trump has consistently promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of assuming office, though both Kiev and Moscow have expressed skepticism about this claim.
Speaking at a Monday press conference, Trump acknowledged that addressing the "Russia-Ukraine situation" may prove "more difficult" than resolving conflicts in the Middle East.
