NATO ministers meet in Prague as allies ease restrictions on Ukraine’s use of their weapons

PRAGUE (AP) — NATO foreign ministers gathered in the Czech capital Friday to prepare for this summer’s leaders’ summit, as the alliance steps up support for Ukraine and countries raise a by a restrictions on how kyiv can use Western-supplied weapons to fight. The invasion of Russia.

One day after us President Joe Biden given Ukraine the green light to use US munitions to strike inside Russia with the limited aim of defending Kharkiv, many ministers, including those from the Netherlands, Finland, Poland and Germany , expressed their approval of the decision, saying that Ukraine had the absolute right to defend itself against attacks originating from Russian soil.

The chorus of allied voices in favor of greater leeway for Ukraine to use its weapons has grown louder in recent weeks after Russia launched artillery strikes on Kharkiv from its territory, prompting kyiv to call for help. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested this week that a change in Washington’s position was coming.

“This is about respect for international law, about Ukraine’s right to self-defense,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said. “Russia attacked Ukraine (which) has the right to defend itself. And that also includes attacking legitimate military targets in Russia.”

“If you look at the battlefield today, Russia is launching attacks on Ukrainian soil from Russian soil with artillery, missiles and massive troops,” he said. “And of course it will be very difficult for Ukraine to defend itself if it is not allowed to use advanced weapons to repel these attacks. »

Ukrainian officials have increased calls for the US administration to allow its forces to defend against attacks from Russian territory. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Russian border.

Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, are increasingly clear that the restrictions put Ukrainian forces in an untenable situation as Russia steps up its attacks around Kharkiv.

Russia has exploited a long delay in replenishing U.S. military aid and Western Europe’s insufficient military production, slowing crucial deliveries to Ukraine on the battlefield.

The alliance is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and leaders will meet in Washington in July to reaffirm their support. Stoltenberg said he hoped to be able to announce at the summit that at least two-thirds of members are meeting their commitment to spend 2% of their gross domestic product on defense.