Putin says Russia has no plans to capture Ukraine’s Kharkiv, wants a buffer zone
PBS NewsHourMAY 2024
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
When Russia was about to launch this offensive, it amassed more than 30K troops near the border, knowing they could not be targeted by the weapons Ukraine has in its possession. This US policy is hampering Ukraine's ability to defend itself and it needs to be reversed urgently.
Pro-establishment narrative
The US has been clear throughout this conflict that the weapons it provides are to be used to defend and take back sovereign Ukrainian territory. Allowing strikes beyond that range would lead to a dramatic escalation of the conflict, which could have many unforeseen and disastrous consequences.