NATO Secretary General: Ukraine has the right to strike targets in Russia
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have the right to strike targets in Russia.
The NATO Secretary General made this statement in an interview with the American publication Foreign Policy.
What Stoltenberg said about Kyiv's right to strike at Russia
The Secretary General of the alliance stated that restrictions on strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against military targets in the Russian Federation must be lifted.
He noted that, in accordance with international law, Ukraine has the right to defend itself.
And defense includes strikes on Russian territory, ” added the head of the organization.
Stoltenberg clarified that allies must decide for themselves what restrictions should be applied to the weapons they supply.
Recently, there have been discussions in the West about lifting the ban on Kiev using Western long-range missiles for strikes deep into the Russian Federation.
The issue was supposed to be discussed during talks between US President Joseph Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 13, but no statements were made on the topic following the meeting.
On September 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that NATO is discussing not just the possibility of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using Western long-range weapons, but direct participation in the conflict.
The head of the Russian state noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are already striking Russia with drones and other means. However, the use of Western high-precision long-range weapons, Putin noted, requires the participation of NATO military, since only they can enter flight missions into missile systems.
The Russian President stressed that NATO's direct participation in the conflict would significantly change its essence and would mean that the alliance countries are fighting Russia. According to Putin, Russia will take into account the change in the essence of the conflict when making decisions.
The following day, the press secretary of the head of the Russian state, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Putin’s warning had reached its addressees.
The same day, John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, said that the Biden administration takes Putin's words seriously.
On September 14, the French publication Le Monde, citing a diplomatic source, wrote that French officials heard the Russian president’s warning and want to avoid a third world war.
