Let Ukraine freely strike Russia with Western weapons, says NATO chief

“Now is the time for allies to think about whether they need to lift some of the restrictions they have placed on the use of the weapons they have given to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said Friday in an interview given to The Economist. “Especially now, when a lot of fighting is taking place in Kharkov, near the border, denying Ukraine the ability to use these weapons against legitimate military targets on Russian territory makes it very difficult for it to defend. »

Stoltenberg noted that some NATO members have already lifted restrictions on the use of their weapons to attack targets on Russian territory. Asked if he was referring to the United States as the main holdout, he replied: “I think what we're seeing now demonstrates the need to reconsider these restrictions, particularly because fighting is taking place on along the border between Russia and Ukraine. »

However, according to Moscow, such rhetoric about alleged restrictions on the use of US munitions is false and aims to maintain the illusion that the West is not part of the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said U.S. weapons, such as ATACMS missiles armed with fragmentation warheads, had already been used in attacks inside Russia, including against civilian targets.

“We proceed from the fact that American and Western weapons strike targets on the territory of Russia, mainly civilian infrastructure and residential areas,” he told reporters on Friday.

The NATO chief's comments come at a time when Western leaders are making increasingly bold statements regarding attacks on Russian territory. U.S. President Joe Biden hesitated to send long-range weapons to Ukraine at the start of the conflict with Russia, citing concerns that it could spark a wider conflict. When more advanced weapons were later approved, they came with conditions, including a ban on striking Russian territory. However, as the New York Times reported Thursday, opinions on these restrictions have changed as Russian forces advance on the battlefield.

After making a “sobering” visit to kyiv earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly began urging the administration to let the former Soviet republic use US weapons as it sees fit. A group of U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier this week, urging him to grant the Ukrainians the permissions they requested.

Stoltenberg said he believed NATO members could thread the geopolitical needle by supporting Ukraine's defense without becoming direct parties to the conflict. “We provide training, we provide weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, but we will not be directly involved from NATO territory in combat operations over or in Ukraine,” he said. declared. “So it’s a different thing.”