The current Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, urges allies to lift or ease restrictions on Ukraine's strikes on Russian territory using Western weapons. Reported by TSN. This information comes from Kontrakty.UA.
This statement was made by NATO Deputy Secretary General Boris Ruge during the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on November 25, as conveyed by "Voice of America."
According to the deputy, Mark Rutte's stance on this matter aligns with the position previously expressed by Stoltenberg.
"Since taking office as NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte has called on allies to remove restrictions," Ruge said. He explained that the decision to allow strikes on Russia is made by allies at the national level. At the same time, NATO emphasizes that Kyiv is defending itself in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and Ukraine's fight is not limited to its own territory.
"Thus, Ukraine has the right to strike within Russia, and the Secretary General, like his predecessor, has repeatedly called on allies to reconsider these restrictions, to lift or ease them so that Ukraine can continue to remain in the fight against Russian aggression," Ruge assured.
He also highlighted the danger of the war expanding, discussing how China, Iran, and especially North Korea are assisting Russia.
"North Korea is currently sending troops to fight against Ukraine. This is a very dangerous development, an expansion of the war. And if you are talking about escalation now, this is indeed escalation. Drones made by Iran are killing Ukrainian men, women, and children every day. China has become a significant factor in this war. It is fueling the Russian military machine with components for Russian weapons, equipment, and raw materials," the NATO official stated.
When commenting on the likelihood of training Ukrainian soldiers by Western instructors on Ukrainian territory, he responded that allies have abandoned this idea due to the risks of potential consequences for the entire Alliance.
Recall that the White House officially confirmed the authorization for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike with ATACMS missiles on Russian territory.