WASHINGTON, November 20. /TASS/. NATO entered the Ukraine conflict when US President Joe Biden made the decision to authorize the use of US weapons for deep strikes against Russia. Moscow therefore now has “all the rights” to attack NATO targets, a prominent American military expert told the TASS agency.

Colonel (retired) Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff to US Secretary of State Colin Powell (from 2002 to 2005), confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without “satellite feeds and/or or U.S. and NATO personnel.” “.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov were explicit and correct (on the subject),” he said. “Satellite signals and/or U.S. and NATO personnel are required to fire these missiles; therefore, NATO has entered the war. Thus, Russia has every right under international law , to attack NATO targets now.”

Wilkerson served 31 years in the United States Army before serving in the State Department. From 1989 to 1993, he served as special assistant to Powell, when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-93). From 2002 to 2005, he served as chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of State.

On November 17, The New York Times reported, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles for strikes deeper inside Russia. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols later confirmed this information. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said some EU countries were also allowing their weapons to be used for deeper strikes inside Russia. Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov later warned that Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine foresees a possible nuclear strike in response to Ukraine’s use of Western-made conventional missiles against Russia. Earlier, he described the latest Western decision as a series of “qualitatively new” escalations.