"In certain respects" - Potential shift in Washington policies: Ukraine could launch attacks on Russian targets using US-supplied arms.
Reports suggest that the US government has granted Ukraine permission to utilize American weapons against targets situated in Russian territory in specific situations. This applies specifically to defending the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to news outlets "Politico" and CNN. A US government official was quoted by "Politico" as saying that the Ukrainian military should be readied to engage with Russian forces that are attacking or preparing to attack.
NATO countries deliberate over Ukraine's use of weapons against Russia
A debate is underway among NATO countries regarding whether the Ukraine should be authorized to employ all weapons provided by the West for assaults on Russian military installations. Ukraine has been requesting this authorization for some time now in order to more effectively counter Russian positions in the ongoing war. To date, the country has mostly used its own rockets and drones for this purpose. The West's weapons have primarily been used against Russian positions found within territories of Ukraine occupied by Moscow.
Sources from the alliance indicate that countries such as the US and Germany have attached stringent conditions to the delivery of certain weapon systems. The primary concern is the possibility of further escalation in the conflict with Russia and the potential for NATO to be drawn into the war. Specifically, these conditions stipulate that Ukraine should not employ Patriot missile defense systems to down Russian warplanes in Russian airspace to preempt the firing of these missiles or bomb-carrying gliders at Ukraine.
International law permits such actions
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at a possible shift in stance on this matter. Amidst a visit to Moldova, Blinken indicated that the United States might soften its hardline stance against Ukrainian strikes against targets on Russian territory. Since the commencement of the war, the US government has been steadily modifying its support for Ukraine in line with shifting battlefield conditions, Blinken stated in Moldova. "And that's what we'll do in the future."
Blinken's comments drew significant attention during a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Prague - as well as at the Kremlin. Legal experts confirm that international law allows for attacked countries to counterattack on their aggressors' territory to defend themselves. The origin of the weapons utilized in such counterattacks is inconsequential from a legal standpoint.
Given that the US is the primary weapons supplier to Kiev, it is crucial to observe how the Americans proceed. The US has hitherto made its weapons available to Ukraine for liberating their occupied territories, but not for offensive attacks directed at Russian targets themselves. Despite the now acknowledged exception, the general US position that Ukraine should not use American weapons for offensive assaults on Russian installations has remained unchanged.
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- The Top news around the world has been abuzz with the potential shift in Washington's policies towards Ukraine, as reports suggest that Ukraine could launch attacks on Russian targets using US-supplied arms, with the USA and Germany attaching stringent conditions to the delivery of certain weapon systems to avoid further escalation.
- The Ukraine-Russia conflict has been a topic of discussion among NATO countries, as they deliberate over whether to authorize Ukraine to use all weapons provided by the West for attacks on Russian military installations, considering the international law that allows attacked countries to counterattack on their aggressors' territory to defend themselves.
- Amidst this global debate, the USA, under Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has hinted at a possible shift in stance, suggesting that the US might soften its hardline stance against Ukrainian strikes against targets on Russian territory, while maintaining its general position that Ukraine should not use American weapons for offensive attacks on Russian installations.
