In an interview on Thursday commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, President Joe Biden assured that U.S. weapons would not be deployed to target Moscow or the Kremlin.
When asked by ABC News anchor David Muir if American weapons were being utilized within Russia, Biden clarified that he had authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied weapons solely in defense against Russian forces attacking near the Kharkiv region.
“They’re permitted to be utilized in close proximity to the border when deployed against specific targets within Ukraine,” Biden informed Muir. “However, we’re not sanctioning strikes that extend 200 miles into Russia, nor are we permitting strikes on Moscow or the Kremlin.”
Muir then inquired about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assertion that “the provision of high-precision weapons to Ukraine for strikes on Russian territory constitutes direct participation in this war.”
“Does this concern you?” Muir asked.
“I’ve known him for over 40 years. He’s been a concern to me for 40 years. He’s not a respectable individual,” Biden remarked. “He’s a dictator, and he’s grappling with the challenge of maintaining control of his country while continuing this aggression.”
“We’re not considering providing them with weapons to target Moscow, the Kremlin, or any locations beyond. Instead, our focus is on aiding them across the border, where they are enduring substantial assaults from conventional Russian weaponry targeting Ukrainian civilians,” he clarified.