NEW YORK, November 20. /TASS/. US President-elect Joe Biden may soon start peace talks with Russia on Ukraine against the current administration's decision to allow strikes with ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles deep into Russia, Bloomberg columnist Andreas Kluth wrote.

"Donald Trump will soon negotiate with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin about Ukraine," the journalist said. He pointed out Joe Biden allegedly gave his successor "another bargaining chip" by allowing Ukraine to use American missiles to attack inside Russia, since the decision itself won't lead to Ukrainian successes on the battlefield.

According to Kluth, the decision on ATACMS may have been another attempt by the current Washington administration to provide Ukraine with support until the president-elect comes to power. The columnist suggested that "Trump should be grateful" to Biden, who actually helped him. The journalist emphasizedthat "this step saves Trump from having to escalate later and instead gives him chips to bargain away again next year."

The New York Times reported on November 17, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized the use of US-supplied ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia. France’s Le Figaro newspaper, in turn, said that Paris and London had granted similar permission for the use of their SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles, respectively. The newspaper later removed the article from its website without explanation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that Paris had not changed its stance on strikes deep inside Russia. The German government confirmed that the United States had informed Berlin of the decision to authorize strikes inside Russia.

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia. He noted that the issue had been discussed at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting but the parties had failed to come to a consensus on lifting the restrictions, ruling that every member state would decide for itself.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled that Moscow’s position on the Ukrainian strikes by US missiles deep into Russian territory was clearly and unambiguously formulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. According to him, this decision means a "qualitatively new round of escalation of tensions."