Decisive moment for Ukraine – Lithuania's president on US permission for ATACMS strikes on Russia

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has welcomed reports indicating that the United States has authorised Ukraine to use ATACMS long-range missiles to strike Russian territory.

He called the US decision on long-range strikes a "decisive moment" in Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression.

"The day has come! Ukraine can now target military sites in Russia using long-range missiles. This is a decisive moment in Ukraine's fight against the aggressor Russia," Nausėda said on X (Twitter).

He also stressed that "peace cannot be achieved through weakness" but is "the reward of the strong".

The New York Times, citing US officials, reported that US President Joe Biden has for the first time authorised Ukrainian forces to use long-range ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory.

US news website Axios noted that the decision had been made in response to the involvement of North Korean troops in Russia's war against Ukraine.