This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. 

Update(1450ET): Kirby came out on Friday and told reporters that there’s been no change in US policy regarding Ukraine using Western arms for long-rage strikes inside Russia. But the pressure is quickly ramping up: first Canada’s Trudeau said he supports greenlighting this, despite Putin making clear this would mean ‘direct war’ between Russia and NATO, and now UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is coming out in support. According to breaking reporting in The Wall Street Journal:

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to urge President Biden on Friday during a visit to Washington to sign off on allowing Ukraine to use long-range European-made cruise missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia, according to U.S. and Western officials.

…A decision to lift a ban on Kyiv using the Storm Shadow missile, which can hit targets 155 miles away, to fire into Russia would be a major win for Ukraine, which has been urging Western countries for months to loosen restrictions on long-range weapons.

Yes, Zelensky has been essentially begging for it, but we highly doubt a “win” will follow especially given as we detailed below Putin still holds many cards, and would likely escalate attacks on Kiev in a big way.

“While the final decision on Storm Shadow will be made by the U.K. government, British officials will ask for the Biden administration to weigh in because some components of the missiles are made in the U.S.,” WSJ continues in the Friday afternoon report.

Hours earlier, PM Trudeau made his position clear:

Canada fully supports Ukraine using long-range weaponry to “prevent and interdict Russia’s continued ability to degrade Ukrainian civilian infrastructure”, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

Trudeau told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to deeply destabilize the international rules-based order and added: “That’s why Canada and others are unequivocal that Ukraine must win this war against Russia.”

That Western officials are still talking a “win” against Russia means this tragic conflict is about to take a whole new catastrophic turn and path of uncontrollable escalation based on their delusions.

However, Kirby has indicated that while it’s hard to take everything Putin says at face value, these latest threats and red lines are being taken “seriously”.

“The White House takes seriously Moscow’s statements that lifting restrictions on strikes deep into Russia would mean direct NATO involvement in the war,” said Rear Admiral Kirby, White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications.

Putin and Nebendzia were as convincing as… pic.twitter.com/dg7k2F8ER8

— Victor vicktop55 (@vicktop55) September 13, 2024

An afternoon State Dept briefing also confirmed there’s as yet no change in US policy.

NEW!!! State Dept ahead of Biden-Starmer meeting: “We have not changed our policy [on long-range weapons]”

U.S. “continues to work with Ukraine to strengthen its air defense systems”

“Judge us by our actions and by the overall assistance that we provide” DoS Spox tells me pic.twitter.com/Vmh4xuKMIr

— Alex Raufoglu (@ralakbar) September 13, 2024

…but for how long?

Here is Trudeau essentially declaring war on Russia pic.twitter.com/MSYmpT8Xn0

— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) September 13, 2024

* * *

Russian leadership has issued a follow-up statement to President Vladimir Putin’s Thursday brief video address warning that if the US and UK authorize Ukraine to pursue long-range strikes on Russian soil, then NATO and the Russian Federation will be in an official state of war.

On Friday Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, informed the UN Security council that NATO countries would “start an open war” in allowing Western long-range missiles to target Russia.

“If such a decision is made, that means NATO countries are starting an open war against Russia,” Moscow’s envoy introduced. “In that case, we will obviously be forced to make certain decisions, with all the attendant consequences for Western aggressors.”

Nebenzia continued, “Our Western colleagues will not be able to dodge responsibility and blame Kiev for everything.” And he echoed some key talking points of Putin’s from the day prior in explaining to the UN body, per Russian media:

“Only NATO troops can program the flight solutions for those missile systems. Ukraine doesn’t have that capability. This is not about allowing Kiev to strike Russia with long-range weapons, but about the West making the targeting decisions.”

The Kremlin’s position is that if Western missiles staring raining down on Russian soil, it will consider no distinction between Kiev forces and their NATO backers supplying the munitions. It won’t matter who is pulling the trigger.

“NATO would become directly involved in military action against a nuclear power. I don’t think I have to explain what consequences that would have,” Nebenzia concluded.

To review of Putin’s firm words the day prior…

“So this is not about whether or not to allow the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia using these weapons, but of deciding whether or not NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not. If such a decision is taken, it will mean nothing short of direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, European countries, in the war in Ukraine.

This would constitute their direct participation, and this, of course, changes the very essence, the very nature of the conflict. It will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries, are at war with Russia. And if this is so, bearing in mind the change in the very nature of the conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be posed to us,” Putin said.

It is important to note that Putin used the word “war” – a word he typically doesn’t throw around lightly. The Kremlin still calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” and has yet to launch a full-scale national mobilization of the country’s manpower and resources.

It appears a highly dangerous nuclear game of chicken (among nuclear superpowers!) is being played out on the world stage…

HARD TO TAKE ANYTHING FROM PUTIN AT HIS WORD: KIRBY

Below is more from breaking White House statements issued by spokesman John Kirby ahead of an afternoon press briefing. He appears to actually be downplaying Putin’s warning.

Kirby: “If Mr. Putin is so concerned about the safety and security of Russian sites and cities, the easiest way to alleviate those concerns is to get his troops to hell out of Ukraine and the war.”

“…He starts brandishing the nuclear sword, for instance, yeah, we take that seriously. We constantly monitor that kind of activity. He obviously has proven capable of aggression. He’s obviously proven capable of escalation over the last now going on three years. So, yeah, we take these guns seriously, but it is not something that we haven’t heard before. So, we take note of it…. We have our own calculus for what we decide to divide to Ukraine and what not.”

 

Kirby on Putin’s latest threats:

“It’s hard to take anything coming out of Putin’s face, but this is not rhetoric that we have heard from him before, so there’s really not a lot new there…”

— Alex Raufoglu (@ralakbar) September 13, 2024

If Washington and London do actually pull the trigger on long-range strikes even after Putin’s new red-line warning, there are a couple of hugely escalatory things Moscow might do in response.

Russia could begin directly taking out Ukrainian government buildings in the capital, such as the Verkhovna Rada building or Zelensky’s offices. It’s areal forces control the skies but have refrained from such action up to this point. Putin could also declare a formal state of war along with full national mobilization, and this war could even be declared against NATO, which would likely be a point of no return.

Meanwhile, a reminder from a prior Putin speech on the topic of nuclear confrontation with the West: “There will be no winners…”

And cue Trudeau and Canada, an influential NATO member…

BREAKING – CANADA PM TRUDEAU SAYS CANADA FULLY SUPPORTS UKRAINE USING LONG-RANGE WEAPONRY IN WAR AGAINST RUSSIA