Ukraine has right to hit Russian territory - NATO Secretary General
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
Ukraine is waging a war of self-defense, and according to international law, it has the right to defend itself. Even if this includes actions outside its borders, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
He emphasizes that each ally independently determines the level of support for Ukraine.
“Let's not forget Ukraine is fighting a war of self defence, and that means that Ukraine has the right to defend itself. And as we know, international law, and according to international law, this right does not end at the border. So that means that supporting Ukraine's right to self defence means that it is also possible for them to strike legitimate targets on the aggressor territory. At the end, it's up to each Ally to determine its support for Ukraine,” Rutte says.
He also emphasizes that one particular weapon will not solve the war, but the support of allies is extremely important for Ukraine.
"And we also have to be clear that not a single, one single weapon alone will win the war. But obviously this is an important debate. Well, I can understand Ukraine's request... But in the end, that is up to each Ally to decide what they want to do. And when I look at in particular Allies which are involved here they have now, for example, the United States and their leadership, they have spent tens of thousands, tens of billions in dollars to support Ukraine's right to self defence. And let's be clear, Ukraine likely would not exist as a country today without US support," Rutte said.
Authorization for Ukraine to strike into Russia with US weapons
The United States prohibits the Armed Forces of Ukraine from using American weapons to strike targets in Russia, as this could lead to a significant escalation of the conflict. This issue was one of the main topics of discussion during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent visit to the United States.
Earlier, the media reported that the United States and the United Kingdom had allegedly authorized strikes on Russian territory. The Office of the President of Ukraine stated that the consequences of this decision would be felt first by the Russians themselves.
President Zelenskyy urged the allies not to delay the decision, as the Russian military has already begun to move air bases and other strategic facilities further away from the border with Ukraine.
The UK expects the restrictions to be lifted by early winter.
