Stoltenberg: Ukraine can hit military targets on Russian soil

International law gives to Ukraine the right to attack legitimate military targets within it Russiain order to protect its sovereignty, its secretary general said on Friday NATTHE Jens Stoltenbergwho is visiting Sweden, a new member of the North Atlantic Alliance.

“Ukraine has the right to self-defense,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference he held with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson at a military base near Stockholm.

“The right to self-defense also includes the right to strike legitimate, military targets on the territory of the attacking party, the aggressor, in this case Russia,” he said.

The US and other Western countries have allowed Ukraine to use some Western weapons for attacks on Russian territory near Ukrainian cells, a development to which Russian President Putin responded by warning that Moscow could provide weapons to Western enemies or deploy missiles within shooting distance of NATO countries.

“This is a war of aggression launched by Russia against a peaceful, democratic neighboring country, Ukraine, which was in no way a threat to Russia,” Stoltenberg said.

“There is no doubt that Ukraine has the right to strike targets on Russian soil,” he repeated.

Source: APE-MPE / Reuters