Trump criticises Biden for delaying Ukraine’s use of US weapons against Russia

US President Donald Trump has criticised his predecessor Joe Biden for delaying permission for Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with American-supplied weapons, arguing that it was nearly impossible to win a war without attacking the aggressor.

“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It is like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defence, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia”, Trump wrote on social media.

He accused Biden of preventing Ukraine from mounting counterstrikes, allowing only defensive operations.

“Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine fight back, only defend. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have never happened if I were President - zero chance. Interesting times ahead!” he added.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine repeatedly appealed to Washington for long-range weapons and the right to use them against targets inside Russia. Biden only granted final authorisation for strikes on Russian territory in the fall of 2024, near the end of his presidential term.