The U.S. is not pleased with the raid into Russian border areas because Kyiv will demand further concessions on weapons from Washington, – says a German security expert

The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attempt to attack the Kursk region marks an unexpected twist in the ongoing conflict since 2022.

The German magazine Focus notes that the objectives of the Ukrainian forces “can only be speculated upon” at this point, but it is possible that Kyiv intended to use this operation to “present the U.S. government with a fait accompli in order to secure political concessions regarding the restrictions on the use of Western weapons.”

Dr. Joachim Krause, a security expert from the University of Kiel, believes that the attack took both Moscow and Washington by surprise.

“I suspect that the American government will not be pleased with this advance into Russian territory and may not have been informed in advance,” Krause commented.

The political scientist emphasizes that there is a fear in Washington of an “unpredictable Russian reaction,” particularly due to President Biden’s mindset, which is “deeply rooted in Cold War-era arms control.” For this reason, every transfer of weapons to Ukraine has been accompanied by clear conditions on their use.

“I expect the U.S. government will openly criticize Ukraine and demand that the operation remain geographically limited or that the Ukrainians withdraw,” Krause continued.

Krause, who advocates for lifting all restrictions on Ukraine, believes that the Ukrainian forces might “force the U.S. to finally abandon the disastrous restrictions on the use of American weapons” in exchange for a withdrawal from the Kursk region. At this point, he suggests, all that remains is to wait for the results of behind-the-scenes negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine.