Germany will not allow Ukraine to launch attacks with German weapons far behind the front "even if other countries decide otherwise," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
His statement comes shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stopped short of lifting restrictions on using Western-supplied long-range weapons on Russian territory during their meeting in Washington on Sept. 13, while media continue to report on encouraging signs that the ban might be reversed.
Scholz said during the public talk in Prenzlau, Brandenburg that Germany "will continue to support Ukraine militarily" so that the country "does not collapse," German media Welt reported.
However, Scholz stressed that he would remain opposed to the idea of Ukraine using German long-range weapons to attack targets deep inside Russia.
"I am sticking to my position, even if other countries decide differently," Scholz said.
Commenting on media reports that the U.S. could lift the existing restrictions, he said that not all speculations are correct, according to Welt.
Restrictions on the usage of U.S.-made and provided ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) are "the subject of intense consultation among allies and partners, and will be (discussed) between President (Biden) and President Zelensky," U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sept. 14.
According to earlier media reports on Sept. 11, Biden was said to be finalizing the details of the plan to lift some restrictions, while the U.K. had reportedly privately decided to allow Ukraine to use its British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles for long-range strikes, though no public announcement had been made.
Meanwhile, German media Spiegel reported on Sept. 13 that the debate is also ongoing inside the German parliament on whether Ukraine should be provided with German long-range missiles Taurus, with politicians from the FDP and the Greens supporting the decision.
Ukraine has long been urging the West to lift the ban on striking military targets deep inside Russia.
On Sept. 13, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech at the YES conference that without the ability to strike inside Russia, U.S.-provided ATACAMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) are “pointless.”
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
