German FM doesn't rule out Ukraine using German weapons for strikes deep in Russia
Photo: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Getty Images)
In the future, Ukraine will be able to use weapons from German stockpiles for self-defense, including possible attacks on military facilities in Russia, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says.
She emphasizes that Ukraine is not obliged to wait for an attack on its territory before defending itself.
“Ukraine's right to self-defense does not mean that a missile must first cross the border or hit a city like Kharkiv before it is allowed to defend itself. Even the best air defense cannot always prevent this,” the minister says.
She emphasizes the importance of preventive measures to deter future attacks, indicating that the destruction of launch sites may be a necessary measure.
Baerbock also emphasizes that the extent of these actions would not be discussed publicly to ensure deterrence and avoid gaining an advantage for the Russian military.
Background
The media reported that the United States and the United Kingdom were allegedly considering lifting the ban on the use of long-range missiles provided by the Ukrainian military for attacks on Russian territory.
It was assumed that such statements might be made following the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the United States.
However, so far, there have been no changes in policy - the Ukrainian military is still limited in the use of Western weapons to strike Russia.
Presidential spokesperson Serhii Nikiforov emphasized that the Russians themselves would be the first to know about the authorization of such strikes.
