“We Just Disagree”… For Now? UK Supports Ukraine Attacking Inside Russia. US Reiterates Opposition. Sunak And Biden Meet Next Week. Will London Again Lead Washington? Likely Yes.
“So let's leave it alone 'cause we can't see eye to eye… There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy… There's only you and me and we just disagree” Dave Mason Lyrics from “We Just Disagree” (1977)
How Will Joseph Biden, 46th President Of The United States (2021- ) And Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) (2022- ) Resolve The Distance Between Their Governments About Ukraine Striking Targets Within The Russian Federation?
London Has A History Of Moving Ahead Of Washington- And Then Washington Merges Its Position With London And Beyond.
United Kingdom: Attacks Are Warranted.
United States: Don’t Do It.
Likely Resolution: Do It. Don’t Necessarily Admit It. Then Admit It. We All Defend It.
“Ukraine does have the legitimate right to defend itself. It has the legitimate right to do so within its own borders, of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself. So legitimate military targets beyond its own border are part of Ukraine’s self-defence. And we should recognise that. That is not to say that I have any particular assessment over the attacks in Moscow, but more broadly military targets beyond its own border are internationally recognised as being legitimate as part of a nation’s self-defence.” James Cleverly, Secretary of State of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, 30 May 2023
The White House
Washington DC
30 May 2023
Press Briefing By Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre And Office Of Management And Budget Director Shalanda Young (Emphasis added in BOLD)
Q And then, secondly, in regards to the attacks -- the (inaudible) attacks this morning in Moscow, has the U.S. ascertained whether American-supplied drones were used in that attack, that the Ukrainian government had knowledge of that attack? And then, did last week's discovery of U.S.-supplied material in Belgorod, in Russia, pro- -- does it give the President any concern about supplying the -- continuing to supply the Ukrainian government with military equipment that can be used in -- on Russian soil.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, as you know, we saw the -- we've seen the reporting. We've seen the news and are, certainly, gathering information about what happened to get a better perspective and some clarity about what happened.
But I can speak to this more generally. As you know and as a general matter -- we have said this before -- we do not support attacks inside of Russia. We've been very clear about that. We have -- you know, we have been focused on providing Ukraine -- as you've heard from the President, as you've heard from National Security Advisor and many colleagues from the NSC, my colleagues from the NSC -- with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory. And that's exactly what we've done for this past more than a year now. And if you look at where we are today, today was also Russia's 17th round of airstrikes on Kyiv just this month alone. Just this month alone -- the month of May -- which we're almost, clearly, done with. Many of which have devastated civilian areas as Russia continues its brutal attacks -- it's brutal attacks against the people of Ukraine. So, Russia started this unprovoked aggression, this unprovoked war against Ukraine. Russia can end this at any time. You've heard us say this many times from this podium. They can withdraw their forces from Ukraine and ins- -- instead of launching these brutal airstrikes against Ukraine, in their cities and on people every day. So, we've been very clear about that.
Q (Inaudible.) Does the President believe that Ukraine risks losing the moral high ground in this conflict if it strikes at -- touches civilian targets in Moscow?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I'm going to be very clear. We're gathering information. I'm not going to get into hypotheticals from here. We do not support the use of U.S.-made equipment being used for attacks inside of Russia. We've been very clear about that. And we'll continue to do that. And we have been clear not just publicly but privately, clearly, with the Ukrainians. But not going to get into hypotheticals. We're going to look into -- gather information to see exactly what happened so we can get some clarity. But, as I said, we've been very clear. Go ahead.
Q Have you spoken to Ukraine about this attack yet?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I -- I don't have any calls to preview at this time on any specific conversations that have been had by this administration to Ukrainians. All I can tell you is we've been gathering information about exactly what happened.
Q Thank you. President Biden was asked yesterday about long-range missiles for Ukraine -- ATACMS. And he said, “It's still in play.” In the past, the U.S. would say, “No.” So what's changed from “no” to “it's still in play”? And what needs to happen for the U.S. to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles? And also, I would like to follow up Zeke’s question. I would like to clarify: Do you -- you don't support Ukraine -- Ukraine’s attacks on Russian territory at all or attacks with U.S. equipment?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I don't have anything to -- any changes in -- to the policy to announce from here, as it relates to ATAC- -- long-range mi- -- information -- long- -- I'm sorry, long-range missiles. Look, as it relates to the drone attacks that we saw in Moscow, we've been very clear: We're going to see -- we're going to gather information and see exactly what happens. So just want to be very clear about that. But look, we do not support attacks inside of Russia. That's it.
Q Ever?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Period. I mean, that's -- I cannot be any more clear than what I just stated: We do not support attacks inside of Russia, period. We’ve been very clear about that. That's been a general matter that you have heard from us over and over again this past several months. And I cannot be more clearer than that.
Q So why did the President say “It's still in play” when asked about long-range missiles?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can tell you right now is we -- I don't have any changes to our policy to -- to share with you at this time.
Statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Visit of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom
President Biden looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom for an Official Working Visit to the White House on Thursday, June 8 to further deepen the close and historic partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom. Building on their recent engagements, the two leaders will review a range of global issues, including their steadfast support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal war of aggression, as well as further action to bolster energy security and address the climate crisis. The President and the Prime Minister will discuss efforts to continue strengthening our economic relationship as we confront shared economic and national security challenges. They will also review developments in Northern Ireland as part of their shared commitment to preserving the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
The White House
Washington DC
310 May 2023
John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator For Strategic Communications John Kirby
Q On Ukraine, can you clarify for us again the U.S. policy here? Because it says that, as a general matter, Ukraine shouldn't strike inside Russia. What exactly does that mean, “general matter”? And does Ukraine -- you know, a country that's been under attack for more than a year -- not have a legitimate right to -- to attack its aggressor back on its own territory?
MR. KIRBY: We don't tell them where to strike. We don't tell them, you know, where not to strike. We don't tell them how to conduct their operations. We give them equipment. We give them training. We give them advice and counsel. Heck, we even do tabletop exercises with them to help them plan out what they're going to do. But ultimately, President Zelenskyy and his military commanders decide what they're going to do from a military perspective, and they decide what they're going to do with the equipment that has been provided to them and that they now own. All that said, we have been very clear with the Ukrainians privately, we certainly have been clear publicly, that we do not support attacks inside Russia. And we do not enable and we do not encourage attacks inside Russia. And we certainly don't want to see attacks inside Russia that are -- that are being propagated, that are being conducted using U.S.-supplied equipment.
Q And the President said recently that he has a flat assurance from Zelenskyy not to use the F-16s that we're providing, you know, in Russian territory. Are you confident that that assurance still stands?
MR. KIRBY: Yes. And we have gotten that assurance at various levels, not just from President Zelenskyy but from other senior military and defense leaders in Ukraine.
Q And you also mentioned that the administration opposes any attacks on Russian territory, including using Ukrainian equipment. Why is that?
MR. KIRBY: We’ve spoken about this for so long. In the -- the President has had three main priorities here for the last 15 months. One is obviously to support Ukraine. I just announced another package today. I think it's pretty clear that we're doing that. Number two is to support our NATO Allies. And we have bolstered down, increas- -- increased our footprint to 100,000 troops on the European continent alone, and kept them there to protect and to help -- to make sure we're meeting our commitments to NATO's eastern flank. And the third one is to avoid World War Three. I think we can all understand that a war that has already escalated way beyond the level of violence justified -- in fact, there was no violence justified against Ukraine. I think we can all agree that -- that a war that escalates beyond that, that actually does suck in the West and NATO and the United States is not only not good for our national security interest, it is not good for the Ukrainian people. It's not good for the people across Europe. It's certainly not good for the Russian people. So we have had that as a -- as part of the thinking since --- since the beginning.
Q I wanted to circle back on -- on Russia, John, and what you would say to Moscow's criticism that the West is effectively offering a wink and a nod to Ukraine when it comes to the drone strikes, like the ones we saw in Moscow.
MR. KIRBY: Well, they're not going to believe anything I have to say, but I would -- I'll say it again: We have communicated privately to the Ukrainians, as recently as last week or so, that we don't want to see U.S.-supplied equipment used to strike inside Russia, that we don't support attacks inside of Russia, and that we are not going to change our policy about not enabling or encouraging those attacks.
Q Do you feel like you need to communicate that directly to the Russians as well?
MR. KIRBY: We have made it clear to the Ukrainians. Certainly, we've made it clear publicly. I don't think we're going to take it upon ourselves as a burden to privately communicate that to the Russians. We have been nothing but consistent on this. And as the President has said himself, the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy himself has given us assurances that they respect those concerns. They understand them, and they appreciate them, and they respect them.
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