“These missiles can only be targeted using Washington’s GPS technology – exposing that the US is decisively participating in the conflict.”
By Sophie Bolt
US President-elect Donald Trump is already impacting the situation in Ukraine. President Joe Biden’s response to Trump’s victory has been to recklessly escalate the situation. Despite concerns that giving Ukraine use of its long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems – ATACMS – would draw NATO into an all-out confrontation with Russia, this is what Biden has done. The British government has followed suit with Storm Shadows, without admitting to it publicly. These missiles can only be targeted using Washington’s GPS technology – exposing that the US is decisively participating in the conflict.
Russia retaliated with an inter-mediate range, hypersonic missile, the Oreshnik. It has also ratified a change to its nuclear use policy, which means it could use its nuclear weapons against a conventional attack, backed by a nuclear state.
This is an incredibly dangerous escalation, which risks Britain being drawn into an all-out confrontation with NATO and Russia.
Yet military experts and diplomats across the political spectrum – including in Ukraine – have said that the use of these weapons will not make a decisive difference to the outcome of the war. In fact, reports show that Ukraine has lost 40% of the territory it had gained in its offensive in Kursk in the summer.
The escalation also goes against public opinion in Ukraine, where people want an urgent end to this war through peace talks.
Horrifyingly, the response of European countries, including Britain, has been to double-down on the warmongering rhetoric. The Group of Five – Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Britain – have issued a statement asserting it will continue to back and arm Ukraine.
NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated, ‘Our support for Ukraine has kept them in the fight, but we need to go further to change the trajectory of the conflict.’
In response to these developments, make sure you lobby your MP this week to call on the British government to withdraw its Storm Shadow Missiles from Ukraine and use its influence to secure immediate peace talks. Also, be sure to join our ‘Step back from the nuclear brink’ webinar on December 18th.
With plans underway to site new US nuclear bombs across Europe, we’re also redoubling our campaigning against B61-12 bombs being stationed at Lakenheath. We know this base will be central to NATO nuclear escalation. Latest satellite imagery shows nuclear shelters for the bombs have now been upgraded. The Ministry of Defence has also announced the completion of the F35a fighter jet maintenance and repair facilities at the base.
Get involved with the protest opposing US nuclear weapons coming to Britain! More information coming soon about the Lakenheath Alliance for Peace’s peace camp from April 14th-25th, followed by the big blockade on April 26th.
- Sophie Bolt is the General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). You can follow her on Twitter/X and CND on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
