The US Under Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols officially confirmed that the White House has authorized Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike Russian territory.

Axar.az reports that he emphasized that the conflict began with Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. According to him, it is Russia that controls how long this war will last, and the decision to end the conflict depends entirely on its actions.

Nichols said that the war could end immediately if Russia withdrew its troops from Ukraine and began respecting its borders In his opinion, providing Ukraine with additional defense capabilities using long-range weapons, as approved by President Joe Biden, could strengthen its ability to defend its territories.

In addition, it could serve as a signal to Russia that the use of force to seize Ukrainian land is futile. Nichols expressed hope that the move would prompt the Russian Federation to recognize the futility of its actions and either initiate peace talks or withdraw from Ukraine altogether.