US can 'adjust' its weapons rules to help Ukraine, Blinken says

The United States will "adapt as necessary" its military support for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday, offering another hint that the Biden administration could soon lift its restrictions on Kiev's use of long-range weapons.

Blinken, who was visiting Poland a day after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, was asked at a press conference whether Washington had given Ukraine the green light to attack targets inside Russia with Western weapons.

"At every step along the way, as necessary, we've adapted and we've adjusted," Blinken replied. "One of the purposes of my visit to Kiev yesterday was to hear from our Ukrainian partners what they believe they need now to deal with the current battlefield, including in eastern Ukraine and other parts of the country."

"I can tell you that as we go forward we will do exactly what we have already done, which is we will adjust, we'll adapt as necessary - including with regard to the means that are at Ukraine's disposal."

Blinken's Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski, called on Western allies to "continue to equip Ukraine with advanced air and missile defence systems and to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons."

The question of permission for Ukraine to use long-range weapons inside of Russia is also likely to be discussed at a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday.

So far, the US has only given Kiev permission to use its munitions to strike inside Russian territory if the targets are just across the border from the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

During his visit to Warsaw, Blinken also met with Polish President Andrzej Duda. A discussion with Prime Minister Donald Tusk followed in the afternoon.

Poland is a key military supporter of Ukraine. The EU and NATO member state also plays a critical role as a logistical hub for Western aid to Kiev.