Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State. AP=Yonhap News
On the 18th (local time), the U.S. Department of State did not confirm or deny reports from the previous day that President Joe Biden had authorized the use of long-range missiles capable of striking Russian territory by Ukraine. However, it also did not refute the reports.
During a press briefing that day, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “There are no policy updates to announce today” in response to related questions. He continued, “From before Russia’s invasion, the U.S. has been supporting Ukraine and has rallied a coalition of more than 50 countries to hold Russia accountable for its actions. We have stated clearly that we will adjust our support capabilities for Ukraine at the appropriate time, and you have seen our actions over the past few years to back this up.”
Major U.S. media, including The New York Times, reported the day before that President Biden had approved the use of U.S.-made long-range missiles ATACMS, which had previously been restricted despite Ukraine’s requests. This was reported as a response to North Korean troops being deployed to Russia. The State Department’s NCND (Neither Confirm Nor Deny) response seems to consider Russia’s strong backlash to these reports, including mentions of ‘direct involvement of the U.S. and Europe in the war’ and ‘potential for World War III.’
When asked about reports and Russia’s claim that the U.S. was escalating the crisis, Miller responded, “I will not speak or confirm any policy changes.” He added, “Russia is the one escalating the conflict, including deploying over 11,000 North Korean troops in front-line operations in Kursk. This is a significant escalation act by Russia, bringing Asian forces into the conflict in Europe.”
Regarding measures to prevent additional North Korean troop deployments, Miller stated, “We have been directly communicating with China, who has closer ties with North Korea. It is clear that deepening North Korea-Russia relations or any rewards North Korea receives from Russia do not align with China’s interests, and we have made clear that China should voice opposition to North Korea’s troop deployments.”
Meanwhile, Miller conveyed that Secretary of State Tony Blinken congratulated Senator Marco Rubio (Republican, Florida) over the phone on his nomination as Secretary of State for the second Trump administration and pledged efforts for a successful transition.