Stop the Hypocrisy: Why the West Must Let Ukraine Take the Fight to Russia

 

If America truly stands for freedom, it must help Ukraine to dismantle Russia’s war machine by allowing deep strikes on Russian soil—anything less is moral cowardice.  It is time to stop fearing Putin’s "red lines"—they’ve been crossed countless times without consequence, and now the West must let Ukraine finish the job.

When it comes to Vladimir Putin’s threats, it is time to call his bluff—because the noise coming from Moscow is nothing but the rumbling of an empty vessel. For far too long, the West has hesitated, second-guessed, and feared the “red lines” that Putin has drawn in the sand, but these lines have proven to be no more than shifting illusions. America and the West must give Ukraine approval to use long-range missiles immediately, and Ukraine should strike deep inside Russian territory without further delay. Let’s be clear: Putin's threats are hollow, and the longer the West waits, the more emboldened the Kremlin becomes.

It’s crucial to remember that Putin’s threats of escalation have not changed much since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He warned of nuclear retaliation when the West supplied Ukraine with modern weapons, yet nothing of the sort has happened. Time and time again, Putin has rattled his sabers, but every time NATO crosses another of his “red lines,” the Russian response has been little more than hot air. Putin's recent warning that allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia would mean the U.S. and NATO are at war with Russia is just another attempt to intimidate the West into inaction. But history has shown that appeasing tyrants only makes them bolder.

Ukraine, with the support of the West, has managed to hold off Russia’s military might for over a year. Putin underestimated Ukraine's resolve and the West’s solidarity, but now it's time to turn the tide even further. The U.S. and its allies need to approve long-range missile use for Ukraine, and they need to do it now. Kyiv should be allowed to strike not just at the Russian border but at the very heart of Russia’s military infrastructure. Destroying airfields, ammunition depots, and logistics centers deep within Russian territory is the key to crippling Moscow's war machine and preventing further bloodshed in Ukraine.

Let’s not forget: Ukraine’s war is defensive. Putin started this conflict by illegally invading a sovereign nation. Ukraine has every right to defend itself, and if that means hitting targets inside Russia, so be it. The West has no reason to hold Ukraine back—after all, no one hesitated when Britain bombed Nazi Germany during World War II. Why should it be any different now? Putin’s regime is not so different from the totalitarian states that have wreaked havoc on the world before, and history shows that the only way to deal with such regimes is through decisive, uncompromising force.

Putin claims that allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia would make NATO a participant in the war, but this argument doesn’t hold water. NATO is not directly involved in military operations; it is simply providing Ukraine with the tools it needs to defend its territory and sovereignty. Putin’s insistence that NATO is already involved is laughable, as it conveniently ignores the fact that Russia has been waging cyberattacks, spreading disinformation, and meddling in Western elections for years. If anyone is guilty of provoking conflict, it’s Putin, not NATO.

One need only look at Putin’s track record to see that his threats are bluster. In June, when Ukraine launched the first invasion of Russian territory since World War II, Moscow’s response was muted. There was no massive counterstrike, no nuclear retaliation—just an acknowledgment that some land had been seized and a sluggish counteroffensive. The truth is, Putin’s military is stretched thin, and his economy is battered by sanctions. His threats are not backed by the strength he once had. Instead, they are the desperate words of a man whose power is waning.

Furthermore, Ukraine’s plea for long-range missiles is not unreasonable. They are asking for the ability to defend themselves, to protect their people from relentless Russian missile strikes on cities and civilian infrastructure. As it stands, Ukrainian forces are only permitted to use long-range weapons in defensive strikes on Russian territory near the border, which severely limits their ability to take the fight to the enemy. This one-sided restraint is not only inconsistent with military logic but also hypocritical—would the U.S. tolerate such a limitation if it were under attack? The answer is obvious.

Long-range missiles like the American ATACMS or British Storm Shadows could make all the difference in this conflict. By targeting critical military installations deep within Russia, Ukraine could significantly disrupt Russian supply lines, diminish the effectiveness of its air force, and make it much harder for Moscow to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities. With these weapons, Ukraine could cripple the very infrastructure that Putin relies on to keep his war effort going. It’s time for the West to stop hesitating and give Ukraine the tools it needs to win.

Let’s not pretend that holding back will prevent escalation. Putin will escalate if he thinks he can get away with it. But if the West shows strength and unity, if it demonstrates that it will not be intimidated by empty threats, Putin will have no choice but to reconsider his actions. The Kremlin has been bluffing from the start of this war, hoping that the West’s fear of confrontation will keep it from acting. But the West must realize that inaction is far riskier than action.

If America and its allies allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike inside Russia, they will not be starting a war—they will be helping to end one. The faster Ukraine can dismantle Russia’s war capabilities, the sooner this conflict can come to an end. It’s time to call Putin’s bluff. After all, a dog that barks doesn’t bite.

Without putting it in so many words, it seems Putin’s empty threats are about as threatening as a paper tiger. So, why keep listening to the noise when the vessel is clearly empty? It’s time to give Ukraine what it needs and let them strike at the heart of Russia’s military. Because if we keep waiting for Putin to follow through on his threats, we’ll be waiting forever—he’s got nothing left but bark. After all, the one thing tyrants fear most is not conflict, but defeat. And if Ukraine is allowed to strike deep into Russia, defeat is exactly what Putin will face.