The Ukrainian military has launched British cruise missiles at military targets within Russia for the first time, expanding the use of Western-supplied long-range weapons as the 1000-day conflict enters a new phase. Following the latest missile launch news, U.S. Treasury yields narrowed their decline, the S&P 500 index fell, and the Nasdaq 100 index dropped 0.6%.
According to a Western official familiar with the situation, the UK has approved the use of "Storm Shadow" missiles in response to Russia deploying North Korean troops in its war against Ukraine.
The anonymous source said that due to the sensitivity of the matter, the British government views Moscow's actions as an escalation.
A day before this attack, Ukraine deployed U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for the first time to strike a military facility in western Bryansk region. Prior to this, the Biden administration decided to approve Kyiv's limited use of these weapons to strike targets within Russia.
Trump will return to the White House in January and has promised to end the war in the short term, creating a new sense of urgency among Western allies to strengthen Ukraine's position before any negotiations.
The Kremlin stated on Wednesday that it is prepared to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine with Trump, a position that was immediately met with skepticism from Western officials.
British Defense Secretary John Healey said in Parliament: "In recent weeks, we have seen a significant change in actions and rhetoric regarding Ukraine. As a nation and government, we are doubling down on our support for Ukraine and are determined to do more."
The issue of long-range strikes is a key topic at the G20 leaders' summit held in Brazil this week. Despite being seen as a supporter of Biden for a long time, British Prime Minister Starmer has not publicly backed Biden's move, raising questions about whether the UK government would allow the use of British-made "Storm Shadow" missiles.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has long called for Western governments to increase military support, including allowing the use of long-range missiles to strike key targets within Russia that are vital to Putin's war efforts.
According to the Telegram channel Rybar, which has ties to the military and over 1.3 million users, remnants of the "Storm Shadow" missiles were found in Russia's Kursk region in northeastern Ukraine, and two missiles were intercepted over the port of Yeisk in Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia.
This information cannot be independently verified.
According to a report by the Associated Press quoting unnamed U.S. officials, the U.S. will also provide Kyiv with at least $275 million in new weapons. Earlier, the Biden administration decided to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel landmines to deter Russian troops from advancing steadily across the battlefield.
Although Russia has expressed a willingness to discuss a ceasefire, its military has recently intensified bombings in Ukraine. The Kremlin also released a revised nuclear doctrine that lowers the threshold for potential atomic response.
According to TASS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that Putin "has expressed more than once, or more accurately, has continuously stated that he is ready for contact and negotiations." He also warned that "freezing this conflict does not work for us."
Peskov's remarks were a response to a Reuters report that Moscow may be willing to negotiate on halting combat roughly along the current front lines. The report cited five unnamed current and former Russian officials.
Several officials from NATO countries said their assessment remains that Putin is not yet ready for serious talks or concessions.
Two individuals closely linked to the Kremlin told Bloomberg News that before reaching any final agreement, Russia's focus remains on expanding its gains on Ukrainian territory and driving the Ukrainian army out of its Kursk region.
According to Reuters, Putin may agree to discuss the division of four regions in Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson) that Russia announced it annexed in 2022 but has not fully controlled.
According to calculations by Bloomberg based on publicly available data, although only about 77% of these four regions are under Kremlin control, Russian leaders have declared them "forever" part of their nation. Two officials quoted in the report stated that Russia may also be prepared to withdraw from a small piece of territory in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions.
Trump will take office in two months, and both sides are trying to set parameters for what could be a difficult deal. Trump's return to the White House will also bring the prospect of significant cuts to U.S. aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky stated on Tuesday that the country would not make any concessions on sovereignty or territorial issues. Zelensky's own peace plan is based on obtaining a clear path to NATO membership and security guarantees before joining.
French President Macron told reporters on his way to Brazil for the G20 summit: "No matter what Putin says, he does not want peace and is not ready to negotiate peace. Putin's intention is to escalate the fighting, which we saw several weeks ago."
Article forwarded from: Jin Ten Data
