Moscow has rejected claims that restrictions on Ukraine’s use of donated weapons are merely “tricks” by Kiev’s war sponsors. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg argued that Western military bloc members should consider lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of their weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory. This suggestion comes as fighting intensifies near the Russian border in Kharkov.
However, Moscow countered these claims, stating that American weapons, like ATACMS missiles with cluster warheads, have already been used to strike targets inside Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that civilian infrastructure and residential areas in Russia have been hit by Western munitions.
Amid shifting views on restrictions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly lobbied for allowing Ukraine to use American weapons more freely. Stoltenberg maintained that NATO members can support Ukraine’s defense without direct involvement in combat operations within Ukraine. The geopolitical complexities of arming Ukraine while avoiding direct participation in the conflict pose challenges for Western allies.