Macron: Ukraine must be allowed to strike bases on Russian territory from which missiles are fired

Ukraine should be allowed to strike military bases on Russian territory from which Moscow carries out missile attacks against Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said on May 28, Le Monde reported.

"We think that we should allow them to neutralize military sites where missiles are fired, from where... Ukraine is attacked,"  Macron said at a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "If we tell them that you are not allowed to target the place from which missiles are fired, we are in fact telling them that we are providing you with weapons but you cannot defend yourself."

"(But) we should not allow them to touch other targets in Russia, and obviously civilian facilities," he added.

Oleg Sukhov: The West lacks political will to ensure Ukraine’s victory

As President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a long-awaited trip to the U.S., the White House is set to announce a new $325 million military aid package. According to reports, it will again be missing the much-desired ATACMS long-range missiles, which Kyiv says may turn the tide of Russia’s ongoing

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Macron confirmed that President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to visit the D-Day commemoration in France in early June. The two reportedly will discuss further support of Ukraine.

European leaders are divided over whether a ban on Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons to hit targets inside Russia should be lifted. U.S. officials, as well as German ones, have repeatedly said that they do not support or encourage such Ukrainian attacks.

Berlin and Washington allegedly threatened to suspend deliveries of anti-aircraft missiles to Kyiv after it "at least once" used Patriot surface-to-air missiles over Russian territory, the German tabloid Bild reported on May 28 without disclosing its sources. The three countries have not officially commented on these claims.

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.

Previously, Zelensky said that Kyiv will not use weapons supplied by foreign partners to hit targets outside of the country's borders. Such restrictions do not apply to domestically produced arms, some of which are reportedly capable of striking deep into Russia.

Ukrainian officials raised the pressure on partners in recent weeks, urging them to allow Kyiv to use Western weapons to strike military targets in Russia.

Oleg Sukhov: What should be done to ensure Ukraine’s victory in 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began almost a year ago, the issue of Ukraine’s very existence and survival came to

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

"We see every point of concentration of Russian troops. We know all the areas where Russian missiles and combat aircraft are launched," Zelensky said on May 26.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was one of the latest high-profile Western leaders to call for an end to the ban.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly adopted on May 27 a declaration in support of NATO allies lifting restrictions that prohibit Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons against military targets inside Russia.

Czechia backs Ukraine striking Russian soil with Western-provided weapons

“As a country under attack, Ukraine certainly has every right to use all means of defense,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova