The potential use of Western-supplied weapons on Russian territory by Ukraine is not an offensive action. It is about protecting Ukrainians, citing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with journalists.
"I do not believe there should be any restrictions because this is not about the Ukrainian army conducting an offensive with Western weapons on Russian territory. This is defense. It's like the preventive sanctions we discussed with everyone before the full-scale invasion. It's the same thing. It’s a warning," the head of state said.
Zelenskyy added that in the border areas of Russia, just like in Ukraine, there is a gray zone where there are almost no civilians.
"And moreover, they have the same gray zone. They have evacuations of people, and so on. They also have almost no civilians on the border from their side, for understandable reasons," the president said.
Backstory
Several of Ukraine's partners oppose the use of the provided weapons by the Ukrainian army for strikes on Russian territory. In particular, the United States supports the use of American weapons only within Ukraine.
The Pentagon emphasized that Washington's position has not changed. At the same time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Ukraine decides how to conduct its warfare, adding that the US does not encourage strikes outside Ukraine.
Additionally, in the UK, there is no opposition to using their weapons for strikes on Russia, according to the British Foreign Secretary David Cameron.