During an interview with AFP on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the restrictions on using Western-supplied weapons for striking targets within Russia, arguing that these limitations hinder Ukraine’s effectiveness in the ongoing conflict. Zelensky highlighted the strategic disadvantage faced by Ukraine, as Russia can launch attacks from its territory without similar restrictions.
This issue was discussed amidst recent comments from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who during his visit to Kiev earlier in the week, stated that while the U.S. does not support strikes outside of Ukraine, the decisions on how to conduct the war rest with Ukraine. However, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh reaffirmed on Thursday that U.S. policy prohibits Ukraine from using American-supplied weapons to target Russian territory, emphasizing that such arms should only be used to reclaim Ukrainian land.
Contrasting with US policy, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron previously declared that Ukraine has the right to use British-supplied weapons against targets inside Russia if it chooses. Moscow warned that it would retaliate against British military assets in Ukraine and potentially elsewhere if such strikes occurred.
Reports on Friday indicated that Ukraine has been seeking US intelligence for potential targets in Russia, especially after facing challenges in the Donbass and Kharkov regions. While the U.S. has historically declined these requests, they are reportedly under review.
President Zelensky described the current predicament as a “nonsensical situation,” suggesting that the West fears a Russian defeat but does not want Ukraine to lose either. He articulated a zero-sum perspective on the conflict, where Ukraine’s victory would mean Russia’s defeat, and vice versa.
Zelensky also expressed a desire for the war to conclude with a just peace favorable to Ukraine, contrasting with what he perceives as the Western goal of simply ending the conflict as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday stated that Russia has always been open to negotiations, referencing a 2022 decree by Zelensky which banned direct talks with Putin, thereby complicating peace efforts.
