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       Ukrainian soldiers near the Kursk region of Russia in August.Credit...David Guttenfelder for The New York Times

       Ukraine is poised to strike inside Russia President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Kyiv’s first launches of long-range weapons inside Russian territory would come soon and without warning. The move signals a new sense of urgency after President Biden’s decision to allow long-range strikes inside Russia using American-provided missiles.

       American officials said the missiles, known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems, were likely to be deployed, at least initially, against Russian and North Korean troops in the Kursk region of western Russia. While Biden’s decision may help Ukrainian troops under fire in the short term, it is unlikely to change the trajectory of the war, according to American officials and military analysts.

       In Moscow, the Kremlin said the Biden administration’s decision was a major step toward a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.

       Context: Biden allowed the Ukrainians to use the long-range missiles after months of pleas from Ukraine. But hanging over the decision is President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. It is unclear how much of the Biden administration’s approach to Ukraine will survive once his successor takes office.

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       A parting message: At the start of the G20 summit in Brazil yesterday, Biden used one of his final moments on the global stage to encourage more world leaders to assist Ukraine.

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