NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said the upcoming meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the level of leaders is very important, but the permission to lift restrictions on deep strikes inside Russia should be expected from each NATO country, rather than from the alliance as a whole.
Rutte said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
“President [Joe] Biden called that meeting at the leaders-level, and I think that is particularly important that we have that meeting on Saturday, October 12, in Ramstein, with Allies and, of course, with Ukraine,” he said.
When asked whether Ukraine could be allowed to use long-range Western-made missiles on military targets inside Russia during this meeting, Rutte said that Ukraine obviously has the right to defend itself and international law here is on the side of Ukraine.
“This means that this right does not end at the border. And Russia is pursuing this illegal war, and that means that targeting Russian fighter jets and missiles before they can be used against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure can help save lives. […] At the same time, it is up to each Ally to determine its support for Ukraine. And I know some of these discussions are ongoing, but in the end, that’s not for NATO. That’s up for each Ally to decide what restrictions are there on the weapons they deliver to Ukraine,” Rutte said.
Source: Rutte on deep strikes against Russia: Some issues of restrictions do not depend on NATO
