THE WORLD

Macron wants Ukraine to be allowed to attack Russia with Western weapons

Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron

Photo: Associated Press

Western countries should allow Ukraine to attack military bases inside Russia with sophisticated long-range weapons that are being supplied to Kiev, French President Emmanuel Macron has said during his stay in Germany.

The issue of whether or not Ukraine should be allowed to attack targets on Russian soil with Western-supplied weapons has been delicate since Moscow officially launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, AP reports. . 

Most European leaders have balked at taking such a step, arguing it risks provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly said direct Western involvement could bring the world to the brink of conflict. nuclear. 

Russia has recently taken advantage of Ukraine's shortage of ammunition and troops to intensify attacks in the Kharkiv region.

Kiev is facing its toughest test of the war, and "hand-wringing" over the use of long-range weapons could prompt a backlash and unsettle the Kremlin. 

"If we tell the Ukrainians that you do not have the right to reach the point from which the missiles are launched, we are actually telling them that we are supplying you with weapons but you cannot defend yourself," Macron said late Tuesday, during the his official in Germany. 

His statement comes just a day after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg asked alliance members to lift some of the restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons.

"The right to self-defense includes striking legitimate targets outside Ukraine," Stoltenberg said during a NATO meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday.

READ ALSO: