In the heart of Europe, a tense and rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape took center stage as NATO members Norway and Finland issued a stark declaration. They proclaimed that Ukraine had the right to carry out long-range strikes against Russia using Western weapons provided by the US-led military bloc. This bold statement followed reports that US President Joe Biden had granted Kiev permission to target Russian territories bordering Ukraine’s Kharkov Region with American-supplied weaponry.
On a chilly Thursday morning, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg stood before a gathering of member states, his voice resonating with a call to action. He urged the alliance to allow Ukraine to use their weapons against Russian targets, signaling a significant shift in NATO’s stance on the conflict.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide echoed Stoltenberg’s sentiments, asserting that there should be no restrictions on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western nations. “If we are to support Ukraine, we must do so fully,” he declared. “Limiting their use of these weapons would undermine their ability to defend themselves.”
Across the continent, in an interview with Japanese media, Finnish President Alexander Stubb made headlines with his straightforward comments. “There is no problem with using the weapons provided to attack Russia in self-defense. It would be hypocritical to send weapons that cannot be used,” he told the Nikkei news agency. His words carried a tone of pragmatic realism, emphasizing the necessity of allowing Ukraine full access to its defensive arsenal.
As the Ukrainian leadership continued to press for broader permissions to strike deep into Russian territory, the international community watched closely. Latvia and Poland voiced their support for such actions, their governments aligning with Ukraine’s demands. However, the alliance was far from unanimous. Italy and Hungary stood firmly against the idea, wary of the potential for escalating the conflict into a broader war.
In a surprising twist, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who had previously expressed concerns about provoking Moscow, reversed his stance. On Wednesday, he announced his support for Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, a move that Politico reported had taken many by surprise.
The world held its breath as the situation grew increasingly volatile. With key NATO members now backing Ukraine’s right to defend itself aggressively, the stakes had never been higher. The decisions made in those pivotal days would shape the course of the conflict, the balance of power in Europe, and the fragile hopes for peace in a region shadowed by the specter of war.
Nordic countries greenlight long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russia
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