Germany urges Scholz again to permit Ukraine to strike Russia with western weapon
In the German Bundestag, there has been another call to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to allow Ukraine to strike Russia with Western weapons. According to lawmakers, this would be considered self-defense, states Anton Hofreiter, a politician from the German Greens.
"The issue concerns the defense of the Ukrainian population. Therefore, we should not hinder Ukraine from using supplied weapons to repel Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace," the politician said.
He stated that international law allows a state under attack to target military objectives on the aggressor's territory.
"The Russian army bombards the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv day and night from its own territory, including with planned bombings that take only 40 seconds to hit," he added.
Ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Germany, Hofreiter called on Berlin and Paris to bolster their support for Ukraine. He emphasized that "in the serious situation Ukraine is in, the provision of individual weapons systems across the board cannot be ruled out."
What preceded
Western media reported that Ukraine's partners had prohibited the use of Western-supplied weapons for strikes on Russian territory, fearing potential escalation.
However, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron believes that Ukrainians can use Western weapons to attack Russia. During a recent visit to Kyiv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that Ukraine should determine its wartime strategy independently. However, he added that the United States does not encourage Ukraine to strike beyond its borders.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon underscores that there is an agreement regarding the use of American weaponry, emphasizing its applicability solely on the battlefield.