NATO debates lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western arms
For several days, there has been a debate over whether NATO countries should allow Ukraine to use donated weapons to attack military targets in Russia. Opinions are deeply divided. The issue was commented on by Vladimir Putin, who assessed it as "playing with fire." "Continuous escalation can lead to serious consequences," threatened the Russian dictator.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg publicly stated that alliance members should allow Ukraine to use weapons from allies to attack military targets in Russia. These words opened the discussion.
Vladimir Putin stated that NATO members in Europe are "playing with fire" by proposing to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike deep into Russia.
"Continuous escalation can lead to serious consequences," threatened the Russian dictator in a conversation with journalists in Uzbekistan. "It's hard to say – do they want a global conflict?" he added.
"the West would have to be directly involved"
Putin stated that Ukrainian attacks using long-range weapons would require the help of Western satellites, intelligence, and military assistance. "Therefore, the West would have to be directly involved in such attacks," he said.
He threatened that smaller territorial countries considering "deeper involvement" should "realise what they are playing with" because they have small land areas and are densely populated.
"The right to self-defence includes the right to strike legitimate military targets outside Ukraine. That’s part of self-defence. And we see this very clearly demonstrated now in the fighting in Kharkiv. Because they are actually Russian forces on Russian territory, attacking just over the border," stated the NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg during three days of discussions in Sofia.
Source: Reuters, WP Wiadomości
