Germany allows Ukraine to strike certain targets in Russia with German weapons

The remarks by America's top diplomat reflect the growing risk tolerance of the United States and other European allies as they seek to support Ukraine to prevent Russian forces from seizing more territory and potentially advance on the country's second largest city, Kharkiv.

The United States and Germany were among the most resistant to strikes on Russian territory using weapons they had supplied. They have long argued that a ban was necessary to limit the risks of direct conflict between Russia and NATO countries.

But Berlin also said Friday that Ukraine could use German weapons to combat Russian cross-border attacks.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the changes.

“I welcome the fact that the allies are easing restrictions on the use of weapons,” he told reporters in Prague.

“Self-defense is not an escalation. Self-defense is a fundamental right,” he said. “We have the right to help Ukraine.”

In recent weeks, Russia has launched a new brutal attack on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, reoccupying some towns and villages and bombing relentlessly. Ukrainian officials pleaded with their biggest Western donors to lift restrictions on how weapons they had supplied could be used.

Ukrainians complained that the restrictions effectively left their military fighting with one arm behind its back, allowing Russian forces to advance and inflict far greater casualties on Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

Even with the restrictions in place, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials have insisted for months that Russia is fighting not only Ukraine, but also the United States and other NATO allies .

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Biden's decision only provided the latest proof of the accuracy of Russia's claims.

“Attempts to strike the Russian Federation with American weapons demonstrate American involvement in the conflict in Ukraine,” Peskov told reporters. “We know that, generally speaking, American-made weapons are already being used to attempt strikes on Russian territory. We have had enough, and this is more than eloquent proof of the extent of the United States' involvement in this conflict.

The policy change announced Thursday by the White House allows Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied artillery and rocket launchers to strike Russian troops and equipment just across the border from Kharkiv and to strike missiles aimed at Ukrainian territory, according to U.S. officials. They stressed that the Biden administration's policy prohibiting longer-range strikes in Russia has not changed.

After the US announcement, Germany followed suit, saying Ukrainian soldiers had the right to use German weapons to fight back. “In recent weeks, Russia has prepared, coordinated and carried out attacks, notably in the Kharkiv region, from positions in the immediately adjacent Russian border area,” the German government said in a statement.

“Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks,” the statement continued. “To this end, [Ukraine] may also use weapons provided for this purpose in accordance with its international legal obligations, including those provided by us.

In recent months, dire battlefield conditions have pushed Ukraine's supporters to consider options once considered too extreme.

In February, French President Emmanuel Macron surprised many by declaring that “no option should be ruled out” in response to a question about sending Western troops to Ukraine.

In recent days, senior Ukrainian officials have said they are in discussions with Paris about sending French military trainers and that Macron could announce such plans during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to France on Thursday for a commemoration of D-Day.

The Biden administration has long ruled out the idea of ​​U.S. troops in Ukraine.

At their meetings in Prague, Stoltenberg and foreign ministers discussed the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, during which the allies are expected to announce additional support for Ukraine, appoint a new secretary general and mark the 75th anniversary of NATO.

Stoltenberg proposed $40 billion a year to allies for Ukraine, but provided few details on how that money would be obtained. Many analysts remain skeptical about the ability of NATO countries, including the United States, to commit the money.

At the Washington summit in July, the allies will also present plans to bring Ukraine closer to membership – without offering membership itself. Blinken said Friday the intention was to build a “bridge to membership” for Ukraine that was “strong and well-lit.”

Kate Brady contributed to this report from Berlin.