Poland supports Ukraine's right to strike on Russian territory with Western weapons
Poland believes that Ukraine should have the right to use Western weapons to attack targets on the territory of Russia, Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Cezary Tomczyk said in Brussels, reports Polskie Radio.
In particular, Tomchyk stated that there should be no restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation, but admitted that few countries take such a position.
"Of course, the situation looks like Russia is doing what it wants today, and Ukraine is somehow limiting itself to some countries, but this should stop," he said.
Tomczyk emphasized that the Polish position on this issue is clear: Ukraine should be able to fight with the equipment it receives.
"We also ask at similar meetings for these restrictions to cease to exist," he added.
In addition, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also stressed that Ukraine has a full right of defense to attack targets outside its borders.
At the same time, the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo expressed a different position. At a joint conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he said that the military equipment supplied to Ukraine should be used only on its territory.
Zelenskyy himself was on a working visit in Brussels for several hours.
Attacks on Russian territory with Western weapons
Citing sources, Politico wrote that a group of Ukrainian lawmakers arrived in Washington to persuade the administration of US President Joe Biden to lift the ban on strikes on Russian territory with weapons of American origin.
Two unnamed US officials in a comment to the outlet confirmed that the policy of the Biden administration has not changed: "The aid is intended for defense, not for offensive operations on Russian territory."
However, later US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that Ukraine itself decides how to counter Russian aggression, although the United States does not encourage strikes outside the country.
Ukraine already has permission to strike Russia with weapons provided to it by Lithuania, Finland, the Czech Republic, Britain, Sweden, and France.
Subsequently, the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, also stated that some EU member states have changed their position regarding the use of weapons provided to Ukraine to strike targets on the territory of Russia. In particular, among the countries that have lifted the restrictions, there are also those that were against such use in the past, European Pravda reported. However, Borrell did not name these states.