On May 28, French and German leaders agreed that Ukraine could be permitted to strike certain military targets within Russian territory, specifically locations from which Moscow launches missiles into Ukraine.
“We support Ukraine, and we do not want escalation; that remains unchanged,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his visit to Germany on May 28.
The French leader added, “We believe that we should allow them (Ukraine) to neutralize the military sites from which missiles are being launched and the military sites from which Ukraine is being attacked. But we should not allow them to attack other targets in Russia, including civilian or other military sites.”
He continued, “If we tell them that they are not allowed to target the places from which Russia is launching missiles, we are essentially saying that we are providing them with weapons, but they cannot defend themselves.”
Chancellor Scholz agreed with Macron, stating that as long as Ukraine respects the conditions set by the weapon-supplying countries, including the United States, and adheres to international law, it is allowed to defend itself.
“Ukraine has every right under international law for what they are doing. We must make that clear. I find it strange that some people believe self-defense should not be allowed and that appropriate measures for this should not be applied,” Scholz emphasized.
Western leaders remain divided on whether to ease restrictions on Ukraine’s use of donated weapons. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged alliance members last week to consider lifting the ban on Ukraine using Western-supplied weapons to strike Russia. This idea received support from the UK, Czech Republic, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Latvia.
Conversely, most Western countries, such as Belgium and Italy, oppose this option. Countries like the US have signaled support, though ambiguously. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated last week that Ukraine must make its own decisions on how to conduct the war beyond its borders.
The Western stance has shown signs of wavering as Ukraine faces disadvantages in its conflict with Russia.
Previously, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s administration declared that Kyiv would not use donated weapons to attack targets outside its borders, instead relying on domestic weapons. However, in recent weeks, Ukrainian officials have increased pressure on their partners, urging them to allow Kyiv to strike military targets within Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned yesterday, “NATO representatives, especially in Europe, should be aware of what they are playing with. They should remember that they are often small countries with dense populations. This is a factor they should consider before striking deep into Russian territory.”
Putin argued that Ukraine’s long-range attacks would require Western satellite, intelligence, and military assistance, thereby making the West directly involved in such attacks.
He cautioned that Western intervention in Ukraine or allowing Kyiv to strike Russia could lead to global conflict.
