NATO does not consider use of Alliance weapons, in particular F-16, on territory of Russian Federation as escalation - Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that strikes by Western weapons, in particular F-16 fighter jets on Russian territory, are not considered escalation.
He said this before the meeting of defense ministers of the Alliance states in Brussels, Censor.NET reports.
When asked whether Ukraine had already used Western weapons against targets on Russian territory, Stoltenberg said he could not go into details.
At the same time, he supports the easing of restrictions, as it made it easier for Ukraine to protect the right to self-defense.
"It makes sense to allow Ukraine to use these weapons, especially against military targets near Ukraine. This is a war of aggression, they are defending themselves. Defending yourself is not escalation," the NATO Secretary General emphasized.
Permission for Ukraine to strike the Russian Federation with the provided weapons
As you know, at the end of May, the USA allowed Ukraine to use American weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation. This applies exclusively to the battles in the Kharkiv direction.
As The Wall Street Journal wrote, Ukraine can use American GMLRS rockets, HIMARS artillery missile systems, and other artillery systems to strike military facilities on the territory of Russia, but the permission does not extend to long-range ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles.
The White House confirmed that Ukraine cannot attack the Russian Federation ATACMS.
German permission
After long discussions, the German government allowed Ukraine to use German weapons for strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation. However, it is possible to strike only on the territory bordering the Kharkiv region.
Permission of France
French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed the permission for Ukraine to hit Russia with French weapons and noted that the limit is set by what the Russians do.
