Pentagon blocks Ukraine from using US long-range missiles to strike Russia

Trump has floated increased sanctions and tariffs on Moscow and its partners unless President Vladimir Putin agrees to a cease-fire.

The Pentagon has for months been blocking Ukraine from using U.S.-made long-range missiles to strike inside Russia, limiting Kyiv’s ability to hit targets deep behind enemy lines, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials.

A high-level approval process, kept under wraps until now, has prevented Ukraine from firing Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against Russian territory since late spring. On at least one occasion, Ukraine sought clearance to use ATACMS but was denied, two officials told the paper.

The restriction has narrowed Ukraine’s military options just as the White House attempts to coax Moscow into peace talks.

The secret 'review mechanism'

According to the report, the approval system was crafted by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, giving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth final authority on whether Kyiv can employ ATACMS or even certain European-provided systems that depend on U.S. intelligence.

The procedure effectively reverses a Biden-era decision that had permitted Ukraine to use ATACMS inside Russia after North Korean forces joined the war on Moscow’s side in 2024.

Trump’s tightrope: pressure and peace

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that President Trump “has been very clear that the war in Ukraine needs to end” and that Hegseth was acting 'in lockstep' with him.

Yet Trump’s own messaging has been mixed. In a recent social media post, he argued that Ukraine couldn’t win unless it could “play offense.” He wrote, “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking the invading country. There is no chance of winning!”

Still, U.S. officials told WSJ that Trump’s comments don’t signal a policy shift. A senior White House aide, however, noted the president could still change course.

As president-elect in late 2024, Trump had blasted Biden’s policy of allowing strikes inside Russia, calling it “stupid” and warning that it only escalated the conflict.

Missiles that matter

ATACMS, with a range of nearly 190 miles, and Britain’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles have not decisively altered the battlefield, but they have allowed Ukraine to threaten Russian airbases and command centers far from the front lines.

The Pentagon’s review procedure now also applies to Storm Shadow, as the missile depends on U.S. targeting data, officials told WSJ. The U.K. government declined comment.

Former Pentagon NATO official James Townsend said restricting ATACMS use could weaken Ukraine’s leverage. “Drones are great for certain things, but they have their own vulnerabilities too. You don’t want to limit the Ukrainian ability to put pressure on the Russians,” he told the paper.

Trump’s diplomacy and new weapons

Trump has floated increased sanctions and tariffs on Moscow and its partners unless President Vladimir Putin agrees to a cease-fire. But after their recent summit, Trump delayed decisions, convinced by Putin’s assurances he was “serious” about peace.

Meanwhile, Washington has approved new weapons packages for Kyiv, including 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles with a range of up to 280 miles. Funded largely by European allies, the $850 million package is due to arrive in six weeks but will also require Pentagon approval for use, officials told WSJ.

Ukraine is simultaneously developing its own systems, including a cruise missile called Flamingo, expected to be ready by early next year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Pentagon stockpile controls

In June, Colby also tightened control over U.S. stockpiles, introducing a “green, yellow, red” traffic-light system to decide which weapons could be spared for Ukraine.

Green: abundant systems available to share.

Yellow/Red: scarce weapons that may be withheld or even reclaimed, with an eye on preserving reserves for deterring China.

This structure gives Hegseth broad discretion to pull back systems already earmarked for Kyiv if deemed critical to U.S. needs.

Ukraine’s narrowing options

The Biden administration had delivered hundreds of ATACMS before leaving office, but supplies are now dwindling. Kyiv has leaned heavily on drones to strike Russian oil depots and airfields, but those have vulnerabilities. Without reliable access to long-range Western missiles, analysts warn, Ukraine could struggle to put strategic pressure on Moscow as Russia consolidates gains.