NATO Secretary-General Calls on Member Countries to Review Restrictions on Military Assistance to Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has urged member countries providing military assistance to Ukraine to reconsider restrictions on the use of this weaponry for attacks on military targets in Russia. In an interview with The Economist, Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of lifting some of these restrictions, especially in light of the active fighting in the Kharkiv region.

«The time has come for allies to consider lifting some restrictions on the use of weapons they have provided to Ukraine,» Stoltenberg stated, highlighting that the current limitations hinder Ukraine’s self-defense capabilities against legitimate military targets in Russia.

Despite the call for lifting restrictions, Stoltenberg made it clear that NATO would not directly intervene in the conflict in Ukraine. «We do not intend to deploy NATO ground forces in Ukraine, our goal is to support Ukraine and to prevent the escalation of a full-scale conflict,» he explained.

While the US may provide Ukraine with more flexibility in conducting strikes, as indicated by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan urges caution, a position that President Biden supports.

Recently, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced that Ukraine could use British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles to target locations in Russia, illustrating the ongoing discussions surrounding military assistance to Ukraine.