Will EU and US countries allow Ukraine to use Western weapons against targets in Russia? Macron insists on this, from Washington they are reserved for now.
Ukraine should be able to use French weapons, including long-range missiles, against targets in Russia from which Moscow attacks Ukraine. This was stated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday during his visit to Berlin. "Ukrainian territory is being attacked from bases in Russia. How do we explain to the Ukrainians that we are going to protect these cities by telling them that they have no right to hit the point from which the missiles are launched?" he asked.
The United States opposes it
Macron's speech sparked a debate about Kiev's use of Western weapons. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg supported the French president. According to Stoltenberg, because of the red lines of the NATO countries, "the hands of the Ukrainians are tied".
However, the USA remained reserved. The US government is opposed to Ukraine using US weapons in its attacks against Russia, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. "Our position has not changed at this stage. "We do not encourage or permit the use of US-supplied weapons for attacks on Russian territory." Washington remains Ukraine's staunchest ally. Since the start of full-scale Russian aggression, the US Congress has approved nearly $175 billion in aid to Kiev. The largest part of this aid is for the army.
Scholz remains cautious
During the joint re-conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Macron still emphasized that concrete red lines should be set before Ukraine. "We must not allow them to attack other sites in Russia, of course, civilian targets and other military sites," he said.
The German chancellor was more cautious in his speech. He specified that there are rules for the use of the weapons supplied to Ukraine, which "must always remain within the framework of international law".
Scholz and Macron demonstrated unity over plans to use interest income from frozen Russian assets in Europe to help Ukraine. "We want to provide Ukraine with access to billions of additional funding so that it can reliably provide its defense and thus further increase the security of all of Europe,", said Scholz.