Lithuania urges West to give Ukraine freedom to strike targets in Russia
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis (Getty Images)
Western allies of Ukraine should lift the restrictions on the use of weapons supplied to Kyiv and provide more freedom for striking targets in Russia, according to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
"We made a mistake from the very beginning by restricting the Ukrainians, as this could be perceived as an escalation," he said.
The minister added that Ukraine's allies are particularly influenced by fear of Russia. He emphasized that Ukrainians should have the ability to use the provided equipment to achieve their strategic goals.
"They should be able to strike Russian territory, supply lines, and troops preparing to attack Ukraine. Only one side is adhering to the rules. We must abandon these self-imposed rules," Landsbergis said.
Use of weapons on targets in Russia
Some Western countries that have supplied arms to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression have prohibited strikes on targets within Russia. They believe this could draw the West into a war with Russia.
However, several countries have opposed this ban. Recently, British Defense Minister David Cameron said that Kyiv has the right to attack Russia with weapons provided by London.
The taboo from the United States on using their weapons to attack Russian territory seriously hampers Ukraine's efforts to defend against Russian offensive operations, especially in the Kharkiv region, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War.
