Austria predicts direct conflict between NATO and Russia in the event of an ATACMS strike

NATO will enter into a direct conflict with Russia if it decides to launch long-range missile strikes deep inside the country. This was stated by former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl on November 18.

"What can happen next in case of such ATACMS strikes deep into Russia? NATO would formally be at war with Russia. This is not a priority for the incoming US President [Donald] Trump. There could be upheavals, resignations in the US hierarchy," she wrote in her Telegram channel.

In her opinion, given the military situation, the US and Europe will have to change the course of events and find a way out of the dilemma they have created themselves.

"It may be easier for the US. Trump can clearly say: this is not a US war, I have nothing to do with it. Leave it to the Europeans," she added.

Range deadline: what could change U.S. authorization for strikes deep inside Russian Federation

How the current events will affect the course of the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's response to it

Earlier in the day, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticized Biden's decision to allow the AFU to strike deep into the Russian Federation. According to him, such a decision contradicts the will of voters who chose Donald Trump as the new US President.

On November 17, The New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden allegedly allowed Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike Russia. Le Figaro newspaper wrote at the same time that the French and British authorities had made a similar decision, but then removed this information from the article. European Union (EU) diplomacy chief Josep Borrel said afterwards that on November 18-19 the issue of lifting restrictions on strikes deep into Russia with European weapons would be discussed.

At the same time, Deputy National Security Advisor to the US President John Feiner did not confirm on November 18 that Washington had given such permission to Kiev. The official emphasized that the White House bases its decisions on the situation on the battlefield.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the possible authorization for Ukraine to use ATACMS for strikes on Russian territory, pointed out that such a move by the USA would become a qualitatively new round of tension, and Moscow 's position on this issue is clear to everyone.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the backdrop of Russia's special operation to protect Donbass, which began on February 24, 2022. The decision to carry it out was taken by the Russian president because of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to the increased shelling by Ukrainian troops.