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Ukraine needs to have an opportunity to strike military facilities in Russia if partners want Ukraine to be able to defeat Russia and preserve its sovereignty.
Dutch Defence Minister made a statement before a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels in May 28.
According to Ollongren, Ukraine has the right to strike military facilities in Russia for its own self-defence, and it’s not a subject for discussion in the West.
She admitted that she had never ruled out the fact Ukraine would launch strikes inside Russia as Kyiv defends itself and needs to restore its territorial integrity.
The Netherlands thus supports the view that NATO Secretary General has on the issue.
“We have to remember what this is. This is a war of aggression. Russia has attacked another country, invaded another country. And Ukraine has, according to international law, the right to self-defense, to defend themselves. And the right of self-defense includes also striking targets outside Ukraine, legitimate military targets inside Russia. And this is in particular, relevant now. Because the most heavy fighting is now taking place in the Kharkiv region, close to the Ukrainian Russian border. And part of the border is actually the front line,” Stoltenberg said in Brussels on May 28.
Stoltenberg added that once the countries delivered the weapons to Ukraine, they became Ukrainian weapons. Hence, the NATO allies that provided them don’t become party to the conflict.
Earlier, another Nordic country, Sweden allowed Ukraine to use its weapons as it “complies with the laws of war”.
Read also: Ukraine has right to defend itself, – Swedish PM on strikes on Russian territory
