Russia has accused NATO and the United States of “provoking a new level of tension” after the US and Germany decided to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets within Russia. This decision has raised concerns about escalating the ongoing conflict.
The spokesman of Berlin said that Germany firmly believes that Ukraine should use weapons to attack on Russian territory. U.S. officials supported this view, adding that American-supplied weapons could be used to counter Russian fire in the Kharkiv region, where Russian troops are active. President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky welcomed this decision, stressing its importance for waging war against Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Tass news agency, condemned the actions of NATO countries, particularly the US and several European nations. Peskov accused them of deliberately escalating tensions and provoking Ukraine to continue what he described as a “senseless war.”
In recent weeks, Russian forces have made significant gains in the Kharkiv region following a surprise offensive. The UK and France had already indicated a willingness to relax restrictions on Ukraine targeting military sites within Russia. This position was further supported by US President Joe Biden, who stated that American-supplied weapons could be used by Ukraine.
Despite these developments, a US official clarified to the BBC that the policy prohibiting the use of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for long-range strikes inside Russia remains unchanged.
On Friday, Russia claimed it had pushed Ukrainian forces back by up to 9 km (6 miles) from the border in the Kharkiv region, asserting control over strategic positions near the village of Lyptsi, just over 30 km from the Russian border.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Prague, reaffirmed the US commitment to support Ukraine and adapt its policies as necessary. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the decision to ease restrictions on Ukraine’s use of weapons.
The potential deployment of US-made F-16 warplanes across the Russian border has also been a topic of discussion among NATO allies. Ukrainian pilots have been training on F-16s, with the first planes expected to arrive in Ukraine this summer. Denmark’s Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, suggested that F-16s could be used to target legitimate military sites in Russia. However, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declined to confirm this, stating that the planes were close to being deployed over Ukraine without further details.
The Netherlands has avoided a clear stance on the use of F-16s over Russian territory, with Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot indicating that Ukraine would be allowed to use arms in full self-defense, in line with the United Nations charter. Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, however, ruled out permitting Ukraine to use Belgian F-16s over Russia.
Russian officials have expressed their anger at the potential use of F-16s over their territory. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that F-16s would be destroyed like any other NATO-supplied equipment and suggested that supplying these planes to Kyiv could be interpreted as a provocative signal regarding nuclear weapons.
