SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
For the first time, President Joe Biden is allowing Ukraine to fire U.S.-made long-range missiles into Russia. A U.S. official tells NPR that the change in policy was spurred by North Korean troops sent to help Russia in its war against Ukraine. NPR's Tom Bowman joins me now with more. Hey, Tom.
TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: So Ukrainian officials have been pressing to use these long-range missiles for more than a year. How exactly has that introduction of North Korean troops led to this policy change?
BOWMAN: Well, the U.S. wants to help Ukraine push back North Korean forces. There's some 10,000 of them and Russian troops in the Kursk region. Ukrainian forces seized a portion of that region months ago, and allowing Ukraine to hit targets there will help. That's the sense.
DETROW: Yeah, I mean, we know this is something Ukraine has wanted for a long time. But is there a sense of how much a difference it'll make, especially at this point?
BOWMAN: Well, maybe just in that area, you know, it'll help a bit, but Ukraine doesn't have many of these long-range missiles. So they'll likely have to pick their targets wisely, things like oil depots, stocks of munitions, missile launchers and such - missile launchers that are right now attacking Ukrainian cities and going after, you know, the power grid. But here's the other thing - Great Britain and France also have these long-range missiles, and they were prevented from using them because they have U.S. components, and the Biden administration had to give its approval. So, you know, we could see those countries now get the go-ahead from the U.S., but no word on that at this point.
DETROW: Let's just take a moment, especially at a point when this war is not the headlines every single day - it's been almost three years since this full-scale invasion began. What do we know about the state of the war right now?
BOWMAN: Well, Scott, overall, it's still kind of a stalemate. Russia is making some moves in the east, gaining ground. And also, the U.S. thought Ukraine's incursion into Kursk was unwise. It helped maybe with morale but didn't really achieve anything strategically. The U.S. wanted Ukraine to focus shoring up its defenses in the east, holding onto territory, preserving what it had. And going into Kursk really didn't help that much. Also, Ukraine needs a lot more soldiers, tens of thousands of them, but - because those on the front lines have been there too long without any relief. But get this - officials are not recruiting those under 25 years old. That has surprised and troubled U.S. officials because a large portion of the U.S. military is between 18 years old and 20. So U.S. officials say that really has to change.
DETROW: Yeah. This is a war that has been funded and armed by the United States largely. There are major changes coming in American policy when Donald Trump replaces Joe Biden in January. What are the expectations there when it comes to Ukraine and the war and what happens next?
BOWMAN: Well, Trump has already said he wants to end the war quickly. I think he said he could end it in one day. Vice President-elect JD Vance has said one plan might be to freeze the front lines. Now, that will help Putin because he would have some 18% or so of Ukrainian territory in his hands. But we will soon head again into the third year of this war with no end in sight. And last year, then Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley said neither side can win. Russia can't take all of Ukraine, and Ukraine can't push out all Russian forces. So Scott, regardless of who's in the White House, I think you'll likely see a bigger push for some type of negotiation. Even strong supporters of Ukraine I talk with say that.
DETROW: Interesting. That's NPR's Tom Bowman. Tom, thanks for talking to us.
BOWMAN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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