NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with German media that Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian city of Kursk is legal, and Kyiv has the right to self-defense.
“Ukraine has the right to defend itself,” Stoltenberg told Welt am Sonntag, adding that NATO was not informed in advance of Ukraine’s plans and did not participate.
The NATO leader stated that Ukraine’s advancement into Russian territory carries risks, but how to conduct military operations depends on Kyiv.
He said, “President Zelensky has clearly stated that this action aims to establish a buffer zone to prevent further Russian cross-border attacks.”
“Like all military operations, this also carries risks. But how to defend themselves is Ukraine’s decision,” he added.
On August 6, Ukraine launched a large-scale incursion into the Kursk region. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to advance towards Pokrovsk, a strategic hub in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that as of August 27, Ukrainian forces have occupied nearly 1,300 square kilometers of land in the Kursk region, captured 594 Russian soldiers, and hope to exchange prisoners with Russia.
Russia views Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk as a “major provocation” and has vowed retaliation.
Earlier this week, Russia launched massive air raids on Ukraine for two consecutive days. The first day’s attack was considered the largest aerial assault since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, with Russian forces firing over 100 missiles and approximately 100 drones at Ukraine overnight, causing casualties and widespread power outages in multiple Ukrainian locations.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that its military used precision weapons to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which it claimed supports military-industrial enterprises.
Prior to Stoltenberg’s statement, the EU’s top diplomat urged countries to lift restrictions on arms use to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia.
EU foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said, “We need to lift restrictions on using weapons against Russian military targets according to international law.”
He told reporters, “The weapons we provide to Ukraine must be used effectively and restrictions must be lifted so that Ukraine can target the areas from which Russia launches air raids. Otherwise, the weapons are useless.”
Borrell, alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, condemned Russia’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Kuleba stated that Ukraine only seeks to attack “legitimate military targets” within Russia.
“If we have a sufficient number of missiles, if we are allowed to strike, we will significantly reduce Russia’s ability to damage our critical infrastructure, and we will improve the condition of our ground forces,” he said.
He also urged Western countries to fulfill their commitments to provide rapid military support to Ukraine.
Last month, Ukraine stated the need for 25 sets of Patriot air defense systems to fully defend its airspace and protect the country from Russian missile attacks.
“We have paid a price for these delays, resulting in damage and loss of lives,” he said.