NATO Secretary General Rutte expresses support for Ukraine’s strikes on Russian territory
New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who took office on October 1, said that Ukraine has the right to strike targets on Russian territory as part of its defense. However, the decision to lift restrictions on long-range weapons can only be made by the country that supplies these weapons.
He stated this during a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels after the handover ceremony from the previous Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.
The right to strike the Russian Federation Rutte emphasized that Ukraine is acting in self-defense, which means that it has the right to defend itself, including strikes on the aggressor’s territory.
“And as we know, under international law, that right does not end at the border. Supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defense means they can also strike legitimate targets on the aggressor’s territory. Ultimately, it is up to each ally to determine their support of Ukraine”, – noted Rutte.
He also emphasized that the decision to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons remains with individual allies and is a matter of bilateral relations between them and Ukraine.
“It is also important to understand that no single weapon can win a war”, – added Rutte.
He reminded that partners, in particular the United States, spent tens of billions of dollars to support Ukraine.
“Let’s be honest, without the help of the USA, Ukraine would probably not be able to exist as an independent state today”, – noted the NATO Secretary General.
In his first speech as NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte emphasized the importance of fulfilling promises regarding the irreversibility of Ukraine’s path to joining the Alliance. One of his priorities will be to further strengthen support for Ukraine and bring it closer to full membership in NATO.
