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Blinken: Washington approved Ukraine's use of US weapons inside Russia

2024-05-31 19:10:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Blinken: Washington approved Ukraine's use of US weapons inside Russia

Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that Washington approved the use of US weapons inside Russia by Ukraine, which he says will one day become a member of NATO.

He made these comments at the end of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Western military alliance, who discussed Friday in Prague preparations for the meeting of NATO leaders in July in Washington, while the alliance is increasing support for Ukraine and member countries. are lifting restrictions on how Kiev can use Western weaponry to fight Russian aggression.

"In recent weeks, Ukraine has come to us and asked for authorization to use the weapons that we are providing to defend against this aggression, including against Russian forces that are massing on the Russian side of the border and then attacking Ukraine. The request went straight to President Joe Biden and as you have heard, he has approved the use of our weapons for this purpose," said Secretary Blinken.

A number of NATO foreign ministers, including those from Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Poland, supported such a possibility, underscoring what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called Ukraine's right. to protect themselves from Russian attacks.

Secretary Stoltenberg countered warnings from the Kremlin that allowing Western weapons to be used on Russian soil would only escalate the conflict.

"Self-defense is not escalation. Self-defense is a fundamental right. It is sanctioned in the Charter of the United Nations Organization", said Mr. Stoltenberg.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not want to elaborate on the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons, but stressed that the slow supply of military aid to his country was "the main enemy today".

Secretary Stoltenberg emphasized the continuation of long-term support for Ukraine.

"Since the aggression of Russia in 2022, the allies have provided Ukraine with military support worth about 40 billion euros every year. We must maintain at least this level of support every year, for as long as necessary. I have also proposed that the allies share this burden equally", said the NATO secretary, emphasizing that the allies agree that Ukraine's future is in NATO and are determined to shorten the path to this membership.

"Our goal now is to put the bridge in place to bring Ukraine closer and then ultimately to NATO. And it's a bridge that I think you'll see come up in the Washington meeting that's very strong, very well lit. There will be a powerful package of support for Ukraine at that meeting, a package that strengthens NATO's cooperation and support for Ukraine, which advances Ukraine's integration into NATO," said the US Secretary of State.

But not all NATO allies agree with the ways of helping Ukraine. Italy said it is constitutionally prohibited from allowing Kiev to use its donated weapons outside Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that such plans "bring Europe closer to destruction"./ VOA