PPCC: Pisitófilos Creditófagos. Primavera 2024

[Derby]

https://www.ft.com/content/f7070bac-6312-4156-b390-8fd36ef40c39#post-5f2ba872-4dbe-49d1-91a7-c0752515ff95

Germany says Ukraine can hit military targets in Russia with German weapons

Germany has followed the US in granting Ukraine permission to attack military targets on Russian territory using German weapons.

Steffen Hebestreit, spokesperson for Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said Russia had recently been launching “co-ordinated attacks” on areas around Kharkiv “from positions in the immediately adjacent Russian border region”.

He said western leaders were convinced Ukraine had the right under international law to defend itself against these attacks. “It can also deploy weapons that have been supplied [by the west], in compliance with its international legal obligations, to do that, including weapons that we have supplied,” he said.

Weapons supplied by Germany that might be used for such attacks include the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and Mars II rocket launcher.

https://www.ft.com/content/cae8f22b-4b12-4bcd-acc8-31deeff7cc42

Joe Biden allows Ukraine to use US weapons to hit targets in Russia

Shift by Washington comes after weeks of pressure from Kyiv and its allies

US President Joe Biden has approved Ukraine’s use of American-made weapons to strike within Russia as long as the targets relate to Moscow’s offensive in the Kharkiv region, a US official said on Thursday.

The decision marks an important shift from Washington’s previous position that Ukraine should not use US weapons to strike targets in Russia — and follows growing pressure on Biden from Kyiv and its allies.

“Over the past few weeks Ukraine came to us and asked for permission . . . that went right to the president. And as you heard, he has approved the use of our weapons for that purpose,” secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Friday in Prague. He added that the US would continue to adapt its policies regarding the use of its weapons by Ukraine.

Ukraine requested permission during a video call with top US officials on May 13 to use US weapons systems against targets in Russia that were being used for its assault on Kharkiv, according to a US official. The request was approved in recent days by Biden.

Germany announced on Friday that it was following the US in allowing Ukraine to use German-supplied weapons to attack military targets in Russia.(...)