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No consensus on withdrawal of restrictions on long-range strikes at Russia — Biden

According to Biden, in foreign policy, there is no such thing as never changing one’s mind

WASHINGTON, October 18. /TASS/. Western states have not reached a consensus regarding the withdrawal of restrictions for long-range strikes deep into Russian territory, US President Joe Biden told reporters ahead of his departure to Germany.

According to Biden, in foreign policy, there is no such thing as never changing one’s mind.

"Right now, there is no consensus for long-range weapons," the US president said, according to the White House press office. He noted that he would not speculate about what would have to happen for Western countries to withdraw this restriction.

Zelensky announced his new plan in late September, ahead of his visit to the United States, saying that he would first show it to Biden. He presented this plan to Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, or parliament, on October 16 and to allies in Brussels on the next day. Under the plan, Kiev should be immediately invited to NATO, provided with another batch of military aid, authorized to use long-range weapons deeper inside Russia, and use European air defenses to protect Ukraine’s territory. The plan also envisages the deployment of a "non-nuclear strategic deterrence package" in Ukraine and its post-war revival with the West’s assistance. The document also includes secret clauses, which were unveiled only to NATO states possessing considerable military potential.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed Zelensky’s ideas as a set of incoherent slogans. According to her, he is pushing NATO into a direct conflict with Russia.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin named four preconditions for negotiations with Ukraine, which include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass and Novorossiya and Kiev’s abolition of NATO membership aspiration. According to Putin, Russia considers it necessary to ensure Ukraine’s non-aligned and non-nuclear status, as well as the withdrawal of all Western sanctions.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine United States Joseph Biden

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