The Pentagon has quietly stopped Ukraine from firing U.S.-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) into Russian territory, limiting Kyiv’s ability to respond to Moscow’s continued aggression.
This move comes as President Donald Trump grows increasingly frustrated over his inability to secure a breakthrough in the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war.
The Wall Street Journal reported the restriction on Saturday, August 23, citing U.S. officials.
Despite high-profile meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, European leaders, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump’s push for a peace deal has failed to deliver concrete progress.
Speaking on Friday, Trump warned that his next step could reshape U.S. policy toward the war.
“I’m going to make a decision as to what we do, and it’s going to be a very important decision,” he said.
“That’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions, or massive tariffs, or both or we do nothing and say it’s your fight.”
Trump had hoped to broker a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, but the effort has faced roadblocks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told NBC that no agenda had been prepared for such a summit.
“Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskiy when the agenda would be ready for a summit.
And this agenda is not ready at all,” Lavrov said, stressing that no talks were planned for now.
Meanwhile, the Journal revealed that a Pentagon approval process has been preventing Ukraine from using U.S. long-range missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly holds the final authority on whether the weapons can be deployed beyond Ukrainian territory.
Neither Ukraine’s presidential office nor its defense ministry commented immediately on the report.
The White House and Pentagon also declined to respond to requests for comment.
The restriction highlights Washington’s balancing act supplying Kyiv with powerful weapons while avoiding direct escalation with Moscow.
But with Russia intensifying strikes on cities like Kharkiv and Trump struggling to push peace talks forward, pressure is mounting on Washington to clarify its role in the conflict.