It is “completely legitimate” for Ukraine to attack targets in Russia, the United Kingdom has said, as the United States and its 40 allies have vowed to move “heaven and earth” to help Ukraine win its battle against Russia’s invasion during defense talks in Germany.
UK armed forces minister, James Heappey, has described Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil that hit supplies and disrupt logistics as “completely legitimate”. Heappey stressed the fact that “Ukraine was a sovereign country living peacefully within its own borders and then another country decided to violate those borders,” adding that “in war Ukraine needs to strike into its opponents depth to attack its logistics lines, its fuel supplies, its ammunition depots, and that’s part of it.” Meanwhile, speaking at the Ramstein airbase in southwestern Germany, the US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, pledged to “help Ukraine win the fight against Russia’s unjust invasion and to build up Ukraine’s defense for tomorrow’s challenges”. Austin stressed that “Ukraine clearly believes that it can win and so does everyone here.” He also noted that while the US is already the biggest supplier of international military aid to Ukraine, Washington will “keep moving heaven and earth so that we can meet Kyiv’s needs.
The US-hosted international meeting at Ramstein airbase also heard the announcement by German defense minister, Christine Lambrecht, that her country will authorize the delivery of tanks to Ukraine, in what would be a clear shift in Berlin’s cautious policy on military backing for Kyiv. The government has agreed to sign off the delivery of used Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, which is designed at bolstering Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has earlier been criticized for refusing to send heavy weapons directly to Ukraine, despite announcing a “turning point” in its defense policy in response to the war. The chancellor has justified his cautious approach by saying he wished to avoid a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, a nuclear power. However, the three coalition parties now reportedly plan to present a joint proposal in parliament calling for the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine. The document urges the government to “continue and, where possible, accelerate the delivery of necessary equipment to Ukraine, including extending the delivery to heavy weapons and complex systems”. It also proposes that Ukrainian soldiers be trained in Germany and other NATO countries to operate the weapons.
Ukraine has dismissed war comments by Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who accused NATO of fighting a proxy war by supplying military aid to Ukraine. “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war,” Lavrov told Russian state media, warning that the risks of nuclear conflict were now “considerable”. His claim, according to Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, showed Moscow had lost its “last hope to scare the world off supporting Ukraine”. When asked about the importance of avoiding a Third World War, Lavrov said: “I would not want to elevate those risks artificially. Many would like that. The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it.” Western officials have voiced their mounting concerns about the increasing emphasis Moscow puts on its nuclear arsenal as its conventional forces have faltered in Ukraine, hampered by fierce resistance and its own logistical and technological problems.
