European Union foreign ministers will discuss the issue of allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons for defence and counter-offensive strikes on Russian territory. This was stated by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell before the ministerial meeting in Brussels , TheGuardian reported on Monday, 18 November.
In particular, Borrell stressed that Ukraine has the right to use the provided weapons not only for defence, but also to strike at Russian military targets in order to stop the aggressor. “Ukraine should be able to use the weapons we have provided to it not only to stop the arrows but also to hit the shooters,” he said, stressing the importance of supporting Kyiv in this context.
This statement comes on the heels of Russia’s latest massive missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the most powerful in recent months. Borrell noted that the attack is a clear signal that the Kremlin has no intention of stopping the fighting or seeking to negotiate.
“Putin responds to any attempts at dialogue with a massive attack on civilian infrastructure. This was the largest attack in many months. It does not seem that he wants any negotiations – on the contrary,” added the head of European diplomacy.
During the talks, EU foreign ministers are expected to reach a consensus on further steps to support Ukraine, including military assistance and tougher sanctions against Russia.
