Poland calls for lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western long-range weapons

On September 12 local time, US Secretary of State Blinken visited Poland and held talks with Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski. After the meeting, Sikorski called on the West to lift restrictions on the use of Western long-range weapons in Ukraine."We should continue to provide [Ukraine] with advanced air defence systems and remove restrictions on the use of long-range weapons," Mr. Sikorsky said.

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Blinken said he had extensive discussions with Ukrainian officials during his visit to Kiev on November 11, including Ukraine's views on the future direction of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its needs, but declined to say whether Washington would approve lifting the restrictions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that if the West allowed Ukraine to use Western-made long-range missiles to strike Russian territory, it would be equivalent to the West directly engaging Russia, a move he said would change the nature and scope of the conflict.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been asking allies for months to allow Ukraine to launch Western missiles, including American long-range ATACMS missiles and British Storm Shadows missiles, into Russian territory in order to limit Moscow's ability to launch attacks.

It was one of Mr. Putin's most hawkish views on the issue to date, saying the move would draw countries sending long-range missiles to Kiev directly into war because the actual programming of satellite targeting data and missile flight paths must be done by Nato military personnel, a capability that Kiev itself does not possess.

"Therefore, it is not a question of whether the Ukrainian regime will be allowed to use these weapons against Russia. It is a question of deciding whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict," Putin told Russian state television. "If this decision is made, it means that NATO countries, the United States and European countries are directly involved in the war in Ukraine. It will be their direct participation, and of course it will drastically change the nature and nature of this conflict."

Ukraine's air force said Thursday it shot down 44 of 64 Russian drones in the overnight attack.

The Russian side says it has recaptured 10 settlements in the Kursk region.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Thursday that Russia had launched a counter-offensive in the Kursk border region. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Thursday that Russian forces had lost about 1,270 soldiers in the past day, as well as one warplane, 11 tanks, 17 armored vehicles and 73 sets of fire.

In addition, on September 12 local time, according to the US Department of Defense, the US State Department has approved the sale of heavy tank trailers and related equipment to Israel, worth $164.60 million.