NATO chief says members should let Ukraine hit Russia with arms donations

Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are stepping up their support for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia's internationally recognized borders.

Current and former military and diplomatic officials from NATO member countries have debated for weeks whether they should encourage the Ukrainian government to use NATO-donated weapons in cross-border strikes against Russia, especially that Russian forces launched a new offensive in Kharkiv. border region of eastern Ukraine.

The idea of ​​encouraging Ukrainian strikes in Russia with weapons donated by the West has raised some concerns about a further escalation of the existing conflict.

In recent weeks, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said she thought “it's time to do more to help the Ukrainians strike those bases in Russia.” Current US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has denied that the United States is supplying the types of weapons that Ukrainian forces can use to strike in Russia, but has said that the Ukrainian government can “make decisions itself” about the caution of such cross-border strikes in Russia.

Like Blinken, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said earlier this month that the UK would have no reservations about how Ukrainian forces should fight this war, saying: “Russia has launched a attack against Ukraine and Ukraine has absolutely the right to retaliate against Russia. .”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin further distanced himself from the idea of ​​striking Russia, urging Ukrainian forces to focus on “close combat” while warning that aerial engagements in space Russian airline could constitute an exception.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg came out more forcefully in favor of Ukrainian strikes in Russia in a May 24 interview with The Economist.

“Now is the time for allies to think about whether they should lift some of the restrictions they have placed on the use of the weapons they have given to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said. “Especially now, when a lot of fighting is taking place in Kharkiv, 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 reiterated his arguments during his speech to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Monday, May 27.

“Self-defense includes the right to also attack legitimate military targets in Russia,” the NATO chief said. “It’s self-defense and they have the right to defend themselves, and we should help them enforce that right.” This is why some Allies have lifted restrictions, allowing the Ukrainians to better defend themselves.”

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson also spoke out over the weekend in support of Ukrainian strikes in Russia, telling Swedish newspaper Hallandsposten that “Ukraine has the right to defend itself with combat actions directed against the territory of the adversary, provided that these combat actions comply with the laws. of war.”

These calls for strikes in Russia have not gone unnoticed in Moscow.

“NATO is increasing the level of escalation. NATO goes too far in its military rhetoric. We fall into a sort of military ecstasy. This is the reality that we will have to face later,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian channel REN-TV on Monday.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman told Russian television channel Izvetsia that the Russian side was preparing “countermeasures” in case Ukrainian forces intensified their strikes in Russia.

Not all NATO members agree to encourage attacks inside Russia.

In comments to Italian news agency Ansa, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni advised Stoltenberg to be “very careful” in his comments on the war in Ukraine.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini also said NATO members were toying with the prospect of a third world war by allowing Ukrainian forces to use their weapons against Russian territory. Salvini told Ansa that Stoltenberg should apologize or resign for his comments encouraging strikes in Russia.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that Ukrainian forces must use weapons supplied by Italy in Ukraine.

“Every decision must be carefully considered,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a German citizens’ forum on Sunday.

Scholz said he would support Ukraine, but that the conflict should not escalate into a war between Russia and NATO.

“From my point of view, it is problematic to deliver a precision weapon that can reach 500 km,” Scholz added.

Scholz said a country could only reasonably provide Ukraine with a weapon with a range of 500 km if that country also set the targeting parameters. Otherwise, he warned that the supplying country could risk becoming more directly involved in the war.

This article was originally published by FreeBase News and is reproduced with permission.