Ukraine may also use German weapons across the border, NATO boss: ‘Russia intimidates’

This article was last updated on May 31, 2024

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Ukraine may also use German weapons across the border, NATO boss: ‘Russia intimidates‘

Germany has also given Ukraine permission to use German weapons on Russian territory. According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the permission is necessary for the country to continue to be able to adequately defend itself.

“We jointly believe that Ukraine has the right, guaranteed by international law, to defend itself against these attacks,” a spokesperson for Scholz said in a statement.

Last night it was announced that US President Biden also secretly entered Ukraine permission for the use of American weapons on Russian territory. Just like the German permission, it would specifically concern Russian targets near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The Netherlands also previously gave permission.

‘Already deployed’

After a question about Biden’s consent, the Kremlin spokesman said that American weapons have long been used for attacks against Russia. “We are already seeing attempts to attack Russian territory with weapons from the US. That tells us a lot about how involved the US already is in this conflict.”

He did not provide any details about those attacks or evidence for them.

The consent is a sensitive matter for Russian President Putin. According to him, the West is threatening to unleash a Third World War. He warned that such involvement could cost NATO dearly.

‘Don’t care about threatening language’

NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg dismisses these Russian threats as threatening language that NATO should not worry too much about. According to him, the Russian threats are only an attempt to deter allies.

“This is nothing new,” Stoltenberg said upon arrival for consultations with foreign ministers of the Western military alliance in Prague. “Every time NATO allies support Ukraine, Putin threatens that we should not do so.”

Stoltenberg rejects that NATO is escalating this. “As for escalation, Russia did that by invading another country and in recent weeks by opening a new front,” he reasons. According to Stoltenberg, Ukraine then has the right to self-defense and NATO members may assist in this. “That does not make them part of the conflict.”

“This is part of President Putin’s and Moscow’s efforts to dissuade NATO countries from supporting Ukraine to defend itself. Russia does this every time Ukrainian allies decide to provide new aid.”

Disrupt Russia’s construction

At the beginning of this week, the outgoing minister said Ollongren also not to worry too much about a Russian reaction. “I say that Ukraine is allowed to defend itself, within the rules of the law of war. This includes that you can also carry out attacks on the other side of the border.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky was in Brussels last Tuesday, where he was again lobbying for weapons. Even then emphasized he the importance of being able to use weapons as he wishes.

With the permission he has now received, Ukraine will have more capacity to attack the Russians, former army commander Mart de Kruif said last night in the NOS radio program Met het Oog op Morgen. “That means you can disrupt the build-up of logistical supplies for an offensive or command posts or units moving forward. You can also take out bridges and railways.”

Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second city and is located in the northeast of the country, close to the Russian border. The fighting around the city has been fierce for some time and the Russians are making territorial gains in the area surrounding the city.