Germany softens its stance on weapons

kyiv, Ukraine — Germany joined the United States Friday in allowing Ukraine to strike certain targets on Russian soil with long-range weapons it supplies — a significant policy shift that comes as Ukrainian troops, exhausted, are losing ground in the war.

Ukrainian officials have expressed frustration with restrictions on the use of Western weapons, especially as the border region of Kharkiv suffered a Russian attack this month that strained kyiv's forces, under equipped and under-equipped.

Germany and the United States have expressly authorized the use of weapons to defend Kharkiv, whose capital of the same name is just 20 kilometers from Russia. Russian ballistic missiles struck an apartment building in the city overnight, Ukrainian officials said, killing at least six people.

Beyond offering Ukraine a chance to better protect Kharkiv by targeting Russian capabilities in the region, it is unclear what effect easing restrictions might have on the direction of the conflict in what turns out to be a critical period. But it sparked a furious response from Moscow and warnings that it could drag Russia into war with NATO.

The German government has said Ukraine can use the weapons it supplies against positions just across the border from where Russia launches its attacks on Kharkiv. A day earlier, US President Joe Biden gave Kiev the green light to retaliate with US weapons against Russian military assets targeting the region, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken said kyiv had asked Washington for permission to use U.S.-supplied weapons against Kremlin troops gathered on the Russian side of the border for attacks inside Ukraine. Biden's endorsement was for that purpose, Blinken said at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Prague.

U.S. officials, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, emphasized that U.S. policy calling on Ukraine not to use ATACMS, long-range missiles and other U.S.-supplied munitions to carry out offensive strikes inside Russia has not changed.

In response, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian Security Council, said on Friday that “Ukraine and its NATO allies will receive such a devastating response that the alliance will not be able to avoid entering the conflict” – a possibility that Western governments are considering. excluded.

Western leaders have been reluctant to ease restrictions on their weapons because of the risk of provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly warned that direct Western involvement could put the world on a path to conflict nuclear. Last week, Russia announced that military exercises involving tactical nuclear weapons had begun.

But as Russia has recently taken battlefield initiative in parts of the 600-mile front line, some Western leaders have pushed for a policy change allowing kyiv to strike military bases in Russia with sophisticated weapons. long range provided by its Western partners.

The Kremlin's larger and better-equipped army is exploiting Ukraine's shortage of troops and ammunition after a long delay in U.S. military aid. Western Europe's insufficient military production has also slowed crucial deliveries to Ukraine.

The German government statement points out that in recent weeks, Russia has prepared, coordinated and carried out attacks on the Kharkiv region, particularly from areas just across the Russian border.

“Together, we are convinced that Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks,” the statement said. “For this, it can also use the weapons delivered for this purpose in accordance with its international legal commitments, including those delivered by us,” the statement added.

Whether to allow Ukraine to hit targets on Russian soil with Western-supplied weapons has been a delicate issue since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday he supported lifting limits on Ukraine's use of Western weapons, saying it was “a matter of respect for international law, the right of Ukraine for self-defense.

“Putin wanted to dissuade NATO allies from supporting Ukraine. But we don't and we will not be dissuaded,” Stoltenberg said.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström stressed that his country had not restricted Ukraine's use of its weapons at all, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome would not would not let kyiv use Italian weapons outside its territory.

Information in this article was provided by Geir Moulson, Ellen Knickmeyer, Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller of The Associated Press.