Ukraine’s Zelenskyy called on allies to lift restrictions on weapons supplied by the West to attack Russia.
President Vladimir Putin has warned that if Western nations allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike inside Russian territory, it would imply that NATO would be at “war” with Russia.
“This would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict. It would mean that NATO countries, the US and the Europeans would be at war with Russia,” Putin told Russian state TV on Thursday.
He further added: “And if this occurs, taking into account this change in the essence of the conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that arise for us.”
On Friday, Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, delivered a similar message to the UN Security Council, saying that by allowing Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes inside Russia, NATO would be “at direct war with Russia.”
Nebenzia stressed: “NATO will be directly involved in hostilities against a nuclear power. You must consider the consequences of this.”
The remarks came ahead of a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden in Washington, where they were to discuss the possibility of freeing up Ukraine to carry out attacks inside Russia, amid concerns about progress on the battlefield.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for restrictions on Western-supplied long-range weapons to be removed, allowing his country to target airfields, ammunition depots and command centers deep inside Russia to raise the cost of the invasion for Moscow.
Starmer, ahead of the US meeting, said: “Russia started this conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine illegally. Ukraine has the right to self-defence.”
The meeting could be the last between the UK and US leaders before the US presidential election in November, which pits Democrat Kamala Harris against Republican Donald Trump. Trump, during a debate with Harris, avoided taking a clear position on the war, saying only: “I want the war to end.”
Meanwhile, Biden said he was reviewing Ukraine’s request, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced an additional $1.5 billion in aid in Kiev.
Blinken concluded his visit to Europe with a speech in Warsaw, saying: “As the situation on the battlefield changes, we adapt.”
While Biden has authorized Ukraine to launch U.S.-supplied missiles in defense, he has limited the range of the missiles. Ukraine has requested the use of U.S.-made tactical long-range missile systems (ATACMS), but the Pentagon has said such systems would not solve the problem of Russia’s long-range glide bombs, which are being used from more than 300 km away.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed no concern over Putin’s remarks, saying that “Putin’s latest statements reflect more the difficult situation Russians face on the battlefield.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radowslaw Sikorski said Ukraine should be allowed to use Western weapons to defend itself as “Russia is committing war crimes by attacking civilian targets”.
Russian forces have stepped up their attacks on the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, while Ukraine has launched attacks on the Kursk region in western Russia.
With information from News Agencies
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/09/13/putin-alerta-que-armas-de-longo-alcance-da-ucrania-levarao-otan-a-guerra-com-a-russia/
