Core Viewpoint - The Pentagon has been restricting Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike targets within Russia, limiting Kyiv's military capabilities in the ongoing conflict [2][3] Group 1: Pentagon's Approval Process - A new approval process was introduced by the Pentagon to prevent Ukraine from using U.S.-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (Atacms) against Russian targets [2] - The approval mechanism grants the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, the final decision-making authority on whether Ukraine can utilize Atacms, which have a range of nearly 190 miles [2] - This approval requirement effectively overturns a previous decision made by President Biden that allowed Ukraine to use Atacms to strike within Russia [2] Group 2: Trump's Position and Military Strategy - Former President Trump stated that Ukraine must transition to an offensive stance to defeat Russia, although his comments do not imply a repeal of the Pentagon's approval process [3] - Trump has previously criticized Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to attack Russia, labeling it as "foolish" and suggesting it escalates the conflict [3] - The Pentagon's approval process also applies to Ukraine's use of "Storm Shadow" missiles, which rely on U.S. intelligence and components [3] Group 3: Military Aid and Weaponry - The U.S. has approved the sale of 3,350 air-launched long-range attack munitions (ERAM) to Ukraine, valued at $850 million, with most funding coming from European countries [4] - Despite the lack of announcements regarding increased missile supplies, European nations continue to purchase other weapons from the U.S. to assist Ukraine [4] - Ukraine is developing its own long-range weapons, including a new cruise missile named "Flamingo," expected to enter production by the end of this year or early next year [5] Group 4: Inventory Management and Control - The Pentagon has implemented a categorization system to assess U.S. weapon stockpiles for Ukraine, classifying them into "green," "yellow," and "red" categories based on availability [5] - The "green" category indicates sufficient inventory for immediate provision to Ukraine, while "yellow" and "red" signify tighter stock levels [5] - This categorization allows the Secretary of Defense to retract previously planned weapon systems for Ukraine if they fall into the "yellow" or "red" categories [5]