Czechia backs Ukraine striking Russian soil with Western-provided weapons
The Czech government supported allowing Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia using Western arms, the Czech Press Agency (CTK) reported on May 28, citing Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.
U.S. officials, as well as German ones, have repeatedly said that they do not support or encourage Kyiv's strikes with the Western-supplied arms inside Russia.
The tide nonetheless appears to be shifting amid arguments that Washington's ban meant Ukraine was unable to attack Russian forces as they were building up before crossing the border into Kharkiv Oblast in early May.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was one of the latest high-profile Western leaders to call for an end to the ban.
Fiala backed Stoltenberg's call, describing the Ukrainian position as "simply logical."
"As a country under attack, Ukraine certainly has every right to use all means of defense," Fiala said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky urged on May 26 Ukraine's partners to allow Kyiv to use Western weapons to strike military targets in Russia.
"We see every point of concentration of Russian troops. We know all the areas where Russian missiles and combat aircraft are launched," Zelensky said in his evening address.
Some countries, such as the U.K., Lithuania, Sweden, and Finland, have said they do not oppose Ukraine using their arms to strike inside Russian territory.
