Western weapon strikes on Russia without partners' consent are a big risk, says Volodymyr Zelenskyy
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Attacks on military targets in Russian territory without the consent of Western allies pose a significant risk, as Ukraine may no longer receive assistance from its partners, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with AFP on July 31.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Western allies for imposing restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' use of provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia.
"This is a big challenge, the fact that we cannot use Western weapons to stop the enemy," Zelenskyy said.
He added that he is "working very hard" to convince allies to allow Ukraine to use these weapons as the army sees fit.
However, according to the president, partners are still afraid of escalation. Acknowledging this, Zelenskyy ruled out overriding the West's veto to avoid jeopardizing future aid.
"If we use our partners' weapons without their permission, they will be able to say, 'We will not give you anything else,' as this is a risk," he explained.
Use of Western weapons to strike Russian soil
Despite the use of Western arms, the United States has maintained a specific stance on the matter. White House spokesperson John Kirby emphasized on May 17 that Washington does not encourage Ukraine to use American weapons to strike Russian territory, stating that foreign weapons should be used to reclaim Ukraine’s sovereign territory within its borders.
In a May 21 interview with The New York Times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed he had sought U.S. permission to use American missiles and other weapons against military targets in Russia. Subsequent reports by AFP on May 29 cited anonymous sources stating that Ukraine had already used Western weapons for strikes on Russian territory multiple times.
On May 31, The New York Times reported that President Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to carry out limited strikes on Russian territory with American-made weapons, influenced by pressure from his advisors and key allies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed this approval, and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius authorized Ukraine to use German-made weapons for strikes on Russian territory, albeit only in areas close to the border.
The immediate impact of the approval was seen when Ukrainian forces attacked the Russian city of Belgorod using HIMARS, a U.S.-supplied multiple rocket launcher, just hours after the White House’s approval, Forbes reported on June 2.
German Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Bundeswehr’s Situation Center Ukraine, stated on June 3 that Ukraine can shoot down Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace with German Patriot air defense systems.
On June 21, Washington announced that Ukraine could use American weapons to strike any Russian forces attacking across the border, not just those in Kharkiv Oblast.
The United States allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory at a distance of less than 100 km from the border, The Washington Post reported. This does not permit hitting key airfields used to host planes dropping aerial bombs on Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the United States to allow Ukraine to launch ATACMS strikes on Russian airfields on June 30.
The United States will reduce restrictions on the use of its weapons by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia if the aggressor state tries to expand the current front, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs James O’Brien said on July 2.
Decisions on permitting Ukraine to use Western weapons for strikes on Russian airfields are already being prepared, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on July 4.
Ukraine aims to increase pressure on the Biden administration at the NATO summit to lift all restrictions on strikes by American weapons on Russian territory, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said on July 10.
The UK allowed the use of Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets on Russian territory, Zelenskyy said on the same day.
British Defense Secretary John Healey on July 19 said that the Ministry of Defense does not rule out supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request to use British missiles to strike Russian territory.
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