Prime Minister of Italy on Stoltenberg's call to allow Ukraine to strike Russia
Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for caution regarding calls from Western countries to review the ban on Ukraine striking Russian territory with the weapons they provide, according to Agenzia Nova.
Commenting on Stoltenberg's statement, Meloni said on the Italian channel Rai3: "I don't know why Stoltenberg says something like that, but we need to be cautious. NATO must be firm and without uncertainty, but I recommend greater caution."
Stoltenberg's statement
In a statement on Saturday, May 26, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on allied countries supplying weapons to Ukraine to lift the ban on their use to target military objects in Russian territory.
He explained that otherwise, Ukrainian forces would not be able to effectively defend Ukraine's territory, especially the border areas that are under relentless attack by Russia.
Ukraine's request for permission and the reaction of Western partners
Ukraine emphasizes that permission to strike military targets on Russian territory with Western weapons could prevent a new offensive by Russia in the direction of Kharkiv and reduce rocket or bomb attacks by Russia on Ukrainian civilian objects, such as the recent strike on the Epicenter hypermarket in Kharkiv, which resulted in the deaths of, according to latest data, 14 civilians.
A bipartisan group of congressmen has called on US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to allow Ukraine to strike military targets on Russian territory with American weapons.
Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that his country had allowed Ukrainian forces to strike targets in Russia with British weapons.
Sweden also does not oppose the use of Swedish weapons for such strikes.
