NATO backs Ukraine's right to strike deeper into Russia

Senior NATO official cites military justification as Kyiv seeks more advanced weapons

PRAGUE:

A senior NATO military official has stated that Ukraine would have a valid military rationale for carrying out deeper strikes into Russia using Western-supplied weapons.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday as Ukraine's allies deliberate on whether to authorise Kyiv's use of long-range missiles against Russian targets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that allowing Ukraine to strike with Western-made long-range missiles would equate to the West engaging in direct conflict with Russia. Speaking at a meeting in Prague of NATO's Military Committee, the alliance's highest military authority, Admiral Rob Bauer, the committee's chairman, noted that the law of armed conflict grants nations the right to self-defence, which is not confined to their borders.

However, Bauer also pointed out that countries supplying weapons have the right to impose restrictions on their usage. He explained: "From a military perspective, you launch such attacks to weaken the enemy that is attacking you. It’s not just about countering incoming attacks, but also targeting the source."

Bauer added that militarily, the aim would be to disrupt the enemy's logistics, including its fuel and ammunition supplies.

On the political side, he acknowledged that nations supplying weapons might feel responsible for their use, and discussions on this matter were ongoing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been urging allies to permit Ukraine to use Western missiles, such as the U.S.-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to strike deeper into Russian territory in an effort to curb Moscow's capacity to launch further assaults.

Putin, on Thursday, claimed that NATO military personnel would be required to programme the missiles' flight paths, as Kyiv lacked the necessary capabilities to do so independently.