Washington’s change of heart is very bad news for Moscow.
“We must allow them to neutralize the military sites from which the missiles are fired, and basically, the military sites from which Ukraine is attacked,” assured Emmanuel Macron, Tuesday May 28 in Germany.
Thursday evening, Joe Biden, who had categorically refused to do so until now, authorized Ukraine to use American weapons to strike targets on Russian soil, particularly with the aim of defending Kharkiv, indicates The Washington Post. A real turning point in the war.
If the Ukrainians have already struck Russian territory, refineries and oil sites, it has been until now with their own weapons, notably drones. Volodymyr Zelensky had been demanding this American and Western permission for months.
Some Western countries, such as Germany, remain reluctant. But the American turnaround could finally convince them.
“Diplomatic permission”
Despite Russian threats, this “authorization” from Washington is very bad news for Russia, which could suffer more destructive Ukrainian attacks on its soil.
“Ukraine has every right to retaliate”abounds on franceinfo the Minister of the Armed Forces. As “the Americans, the British”, France gives a “diplomatic permission” in Kyiv to use French weapons since it involves “self-defense”, adds Sébastien Lecornu this Friday.
“We support politically” these strikes, he adds, ensuring that he “There is nothing new in international law.” “Since a few weeks”he explains, “Russia is intensifying its strikes from military infrastructure on its own soil.”
“We must not reverse the roles”
However, according to the law of war, and article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, “an attacked country can strike in response to centers of military aggression against its territory”explains the Minister of the Armed Forces. “We give weapons to a country to defend itself”.
\ud83d\udd34 War in Ukraine \u27a1\ufe0f “These weapons which are given to Ukraine allow Ukraine to defend itself and that does not make France a co-belligerent force”, underlines Sébastien Lecornu. pic.twitter.com/OJHVLMyt3S
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 31, 2024
“It is Russia which is changing its way of waging war, in particular by retreating behind its border. So it was Russia that also took on the risk of seeing its own territory hit. We must not reverse the roles.”he believes.
\ud83d\udd34 War in Ukraine \u27a1\ufe0f “Russia has considerably changed its way of doing things (…) It is striking civilian infrastructures, particularly energy, behind the front line and particularly at long range”, explains Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/6DgAfvpJxA
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) May 31, 2024
For now, “to knowledge” by Sébastien Lecornu, “No” Ukraine has not yet used French weapons to strike Russian territory.