Each country must decide if Ukraine can use its long-range missiles on Russia, says Nato's Stoltenberg

On possible Russian retaliation, Stoltenberg said there were 'no risk-free options in the war'

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference, during Nato's 75th anniversary summit, in Washington in July. Reuters File Photo

By Reuters

Published: Mon 16 Sep 2024, 10:09 PM

The outgoing head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Monday he welcomed talks on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike inside Russian territory but any decision on the issue would have to be made by individual allies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been pleading with allies for months to let Ukraine fire Western missiles including long-range U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadows deep into Russia to limit Moscow's ability to launch attacks.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden held talks in Washington on Friday on whether to allow Kyiv to use the long-range missiles against targets in Russia. No decision was announced.

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"I welcome these developments and these decisions but its for individual allies to make the final decisions," Stoltenberg told LBC radio. "Allies have different policies on this."

Some US officials are deeply sceptical that allowing the use of such missiles would make a significant difference in Kyiv's battle against Russian invaders.

President Vladimir Putin has said the West would be directly fighting Russia if it allowed Ukraine to strike with Western-made long-range missiles.

Asked about possible Russian retaliation, Stoltenberg said there were "no risk-free options in the war".

"But I continue to believe that the biggest risk for us, for United Kingdom, for Nato, will be if President Putin wins in Ukraine," he added.

Reuters

Published: Mon 16 Sep 2024, 10:09 PM

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