Yuriy Kobzar23:55, 05/24/24
Stoltenberg also reprimanded the Europeans for disrupting the supply of already promised ammunition.
Ukraine’s partner countries should cancel the ban on the use of their weapons for strikes on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with The Economist .
As the publication notes, NATO secretaries general do not usually criticize the policy of the largest and most important member state of the Alliance – America. But Stoltenberg did exactly that: without naming the US directly, he made it clear who he was talking about.
“It is time for the Allies to consider whether they should lift some of the restrictions they have imposed on the use of weapons they have donated to Ukraine. Especially now, when much fighting is going on in Kharkiv Oblast, near the border, the ban on Ukraine using these weapons against legitimate military targets on the territory of Russia makes it very difficult for them to protect themselves,” said the Secretary General.
Stoltenberg emphasized that the Russians will continue to attack and gain certain territorial gains in the border area, regardless of losses.
“We must remember what this is. This is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine has the right to defend itself. And this includes striking targets on Russian territory,” Stoltenberg insists.
At the same time, the Secretary General criticized the inability of European countries to fulfill the obligations they have already assumed regarding the supply of weapons.
“The European allies promised a million artillery shells. We haven’t seen anything close,” he said.
Stoltenberg admitted that NATO should avoid direct confrontation with the Russian Federation. However, he sees a difference between the supply of weapons and direct participation in hostilities.
“We conduct training, we supply weapons, ammunition for Ukraine, but we will not take a direct part from NATO territory in hostilities over or in Ukraine. So this is a different matter,” he emphasized and added that NATO does not plan to send troops to Ukraine despite the public statements of the French president.
The West may lift the ban on strikes against the Russian Federation
As UNIAN wrote, since the first American deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, the White House forbade their use for strikes on Russian territory. However, according to the New York Times , the consensus around this policy is crumbling. Currently, there is an active debate within the president’s administration about easing the ban.
It is significant that this ban was criticized even by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, who blocked a new program of military aid to Ukraine for six months. According to him , attempts to control Ukraine’s efforts “at the micro level” are “not a very good policy” for the United States.
(C)UNIAN 2024
“The European allies promised a million artillery shells. We haven’t seen anything close,” he said.
RUSSIA DID A BETTER OFFER………………
He says something smart and follows it up by saying something stupid.🙄
“ Currently, there is an active debate within the president’s administration about easing the ban.”
Don’t hold your breath. As the Bien administration has proven numerous times over the last two plus years, they are incapable of quickly making any decision or aa far as that goes implementing a decision after it has been made in a timely manner. Given Joe’s numerous deficiencies, this issue most likely will unfortunately not be resolved in Ukraine’s favor before the November elections. I strongly hope that my timeline analysis is wrong as the US should have eased the ban months ago.
The US policy of not allowing strikes in Moskovia has been devastating for Ukraine and costs thousands and thousands of innocent lives. After all, Ukrainians know the ruSSo-filth better than anyone so how can “anyone” tell Ukrainians what to do or how to fight?
This ban should never have been implemented. This can be viewed as a crime against humanity. It’s like telling a woman, who’s being gang raped, not to use the little pistol on her assailants that you cowardly hand her. The various baboons, gibbons, and bonobos in Western capitals are indirectly responsible for thousands of additional and unnecessary deaths. History won’t forget you!