Ukraine has the right under international law to attack legitimate military targets in Russia to defend itself, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a visit to new alliance member Sweden on Friday.
“Ukraine has the right to self-defense,” Stoltenberg stated at a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a military base near Stockholm. “The right to self-defense also includes the right to hit legitimate military targets on the territory of the attacking party, the aggressor, in this case, Russia.”
The Kremlin warned this week that Western nations supplying Ukraine with weapons to strike Russian territory will have to reckon with Russia. This came after President Vladimir Putin indicated he was considering arming the West’s enemies in retaliation.
“This is a war of aggression that Russia has initiated against a peaceful, democratic neighboring country, Ukraine, which at no point has been a threat to Russia,” Stoltenberg emphasized. “There is no question that Ukraine has the right to hit targets on Russian territory.”
