NATO Chief Urges Lifting Restrictions on Ukrainian Weapons Use in Russian Territory

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg argues that Ukraine should be able to use American weapons to strike inside Russian territory, a stance that appears to break with the Biden administration's policy.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has sparked a debate by suggesting that Ukraine should be allowed to use American weapons to strike inside Russian territory. This stance represents a potential shift in policy for the Biden administration, which has previously banned Ukraine from using US-supplied weapons for such purposes.

Stoltenberg's comments, made in an interview with the Economist, come amid heightened fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine, which lies close to the Russian border. He argued that denying Ukraine the ability to target legitimate military targets in Russia hinders its self-defense efforts.

While Stoltenberg did not explicitly mention the US or the Biden administration, his remarks have been interpreted as a criticism of the administration's current policy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged the US to relax these restrictions, and his calls have found support among some US lawmakers.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Turner, recently sent a letter to the Defense Department urging the lifting of restrictions on US weapons use in Ukraine. They argued that Ukraine has been unable to fully defend itself due to the current policy.

The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia has amassed equipment and personnel at the Ukrainian border in preparation for its planned Kharkiv offensive. Much of this equipment remains outside the reach of Ukraine's arsenal, however, as it is positioned on the Russian side of the border.

If Ukraine were permitted to use HIMARS rocket and ATACMS missile systems provided by the US, it could potentially strike Russian targets within range. These calls for policy change have gained support from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who argues that the US should not "micromanage" Ukraine's war effort.

The White House has yet to respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on Stoltenberg's remarks. The debate over whether to allow Ukraine to use US weapons in Russian territory is likely to continue as the conflict in eastern Ukraine intensifies.