Joe Biden had a tense exchange with a reporter on Friday over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning of potential war if the US eases restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles. The verbal spat occurred during a meeting at the White House with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
As the US president began his remarks, Sky News correspondent James Matthews shouted a question about Putin’s threat. Biden snapped, “I say you be quiet until I speak. Okay? That’s what I say. Good idea?” When Matthews persisted, asking again for Biden’s thoughts on Putin’s warning, the president reiterated, “You’ve got to be quiet. I’m going to make a statement here, okay?”
‘We’re working that out right now’
Biden’s remarks came amid talks about the US potentially allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles against Russian targets, the New York Post reported. On Monday, Biden acknowledged that he was considering easing restrictions on Kyiv’s use of U.S. weapons, saying, “We’re working that out right now.”
Putin responded to these discussions by asserting that if the US and NATO countries were to support Ukraine in such a manner, it would mean they were effectively at war with Russia. He emphasized that programming Western missiles would require NATO military personnel, thus escalating the conflict.
The backdrop to this exchange includes ongoing military support for Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelensky has been urging allies to permit the use of long-range missiles to counter Russian aggression. The US has supplied Ukraine with ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 190 miles, while the UK has provided Storm Shadow missiles with a range of some 155 miles.
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