Trump Gives Ukraine Offensive ‘Deep-Strike’ Power, Top Diplomat Says

WASHINGTON DC – The Trump administration is giving Ukraine “deeper-strike capabilities” that “could help them offensively,” the US Envoy to NATO said on Saturday, signaling a policy shift that marks a significant departure from previous White House strategy.

Speaking to Fox News, Ambassador Matt Whitaker stated, “We’re giving some deeper strike capabilities, and most likely the Ukrainians are going to use them, and that obviously is much different than what [former US President] Joe Biden did.”

His remarks came as Washington recently approved the sale of 3,350 ERAM missiles for $850 million to Ukraine, a deal funded by Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

The missiles have a range of 240-450 km (150-280 miles), raising new questions about whether the US is relaxing restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-made weapons to hit targets inside Russia.

The ambassador’s comments add a new dimension to the administration’s stance, clarifying that the provision of these capabilities is intended to support offensive operations. 

This move comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war, with Whitaker confirming that while “both sides are still talking,” a promised meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky has not yet been scheduled.

The new military aid, Whitaker said, is part of a dual-track strategy combining military pressure with diplomatic engagement. “President Trump is making sure… that Ukraine can continue to defend itself, and by giving them some deeper strike capabilities that obviously could help them offensively,” he said. 

He emphasized that Trump “knows all the cards he has still left to play. But he also understands that he needs to keep Vladimir Putin at the table, as well as Zelensky at the table.”While acknowledging the challenges, Whitaker expressed a degree of optimism about the ongoing dialogue. 

“Is it going to happen overnight? Most likely not. But I think we’re on the right path and both sides are still talking, and that is a good thing,” he said.

Policy shift? 

The policy shift is a reversal from the approach of the Biden administration, which had permitted Ukraine to use US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles with a range of up to 300 km (190 miles) but maintained limits on their use within Russian territory.

As Kyiv Post first reported in May, Trump had been “seriously considering” lifting all Biden-era restrictions on Ukraine’s war effort. 

Two senior Western officials told the publication back then that all previously imposed restrictions were under review, with Trump believing the “current status quo does not serve our common interests of bringing Russia to the negotiation table.”Whitaker’s announcement follows a major Russian aerial assault on Ukrainian cities on Thursday, involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. 

On Friday, the State Department also approved two other military sales with a combined value of more than $329 million. These packages are for the sustainment of Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems and an extension of its Starlink satellite communications.

‘Hold the celebrations,’ says retired US Army colonel

In an interview with the Kyiv Post on Sunday, retired US Army Colonel Richard Williams – a veteran of NATO leadership who once served as the deputy director of the Armaments Section in the Defense Investment Division – urged caution regarding the new aid. 

“Hold the celebrations,” he said.

While Williams said the “selling” of defensive systems like Patriots and Starlink is “crucial for intercepting Russian missiles and drones and for saving civilian lives,” he also warned that there may be conditions on the use of the “deep strike” missiles.

Williams was blunt in his assessment of the administration’s approach. 

“The fact is that the current administration could end this war at any time by providing Ukraine with the full spectrum of available weapons capabilities in sufficient quantity,” he said, claiming this would spare Europe from an “inevitable Second Iron Curtain.”He contended that Trump is “unwilling to make a decisive decision for others,” unless it answers the question, “what does this do for the USA?”  

The expert accused Trump of being motivated by personal gain, citing a desire not to “de-friend” Vladimir Putin, a potential Nobel Peace Prize and the financial benefits from continued defense sales to Europe.

Williams also pointed to the diplomatic front, noting that while the US administration is willing to “give Putin all the time he needs to reach his foregone conclusion,” it is not playing the leadership role in NATO that the US has had since 1949. 

Instead, he said, it should be “leaning on Germany to transfer the Taurus missile to Ukraine to stop the Russians, as they are clearly the aggressors.”