The United States' decision to authorize long-range Ukrainian strikes could help Kyiv defend its foothold in Russia's Kursk region that it seized as leverage in any war talks, but may come too late to change the course of the war, analysts said.

Two months before leaving office, U.S. President Joe Biden lifted some restrictions that had blocked Kyiv from using U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper into Russian territory, in a major policy change.

Military analysts said the impact on the battlefield, where Ukraine has been on the back foot for months, would depend on what limits remained. But while the shift may shore up the Kursk operation, it was unlikely to be a game changer overall.