Macron Supports Ukraine's Use of French Arms for Strikes in Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Monday that Ukraine should have the authorization to utilize French weaponry, such as long-range missiles, to target locations within Russia that are used by Moscow to launch attacks against Ukraine.

During a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Brandenburg, Germany, Macron emphasized the importance of allowing Ukraine to neutralize military sites responsible for launching missiles and conducting attacks against Ukraine.

Ukrainian soil is under attack from bases in Russia. It's important for us to communicate to the Ukrainians that we need to defend these towns. We can't just tell them not to respond when missiles are being fired at them.

According to the French Defense Ministry's website, France has given Ukraine an unspecified amount of SCALP cruise missiles.

The SCALP missiles, as stated by the Missile Threat project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, can travel up to 155 kilometers (96 miles) and are equipped with a 400-kilogram (881-pound) high-explosive penetration warhead.

A specimen of SCALP missile inside the MBDA factory in Bourges, central France, on March 20, 2023.

A specimen of SCALP missile inside the MBDA factory in Bourges, central France, on March 20, 2023.

Guillaume Souvant/AFP/Getty Images/File

The SCALP is similar to Britain's Storm Shadow, which has also been provided to Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron mentioned that Ukraine has the discretion to use these weapons.

During a visit to Kyiv, Cameron stated that it is up to the Ukrainians to decide how to use the weapons as they defend their country against the illegal invasion by Putin. He emphasized that there are no conditions attached to the use of these weapons. Cameron made it clear that Russia has attacked Ukraine, giving Ukraine the right to retaliate against Russia.

France has provided Ukraine with various military weapons, such as Caesar self-propelled howitzers that can reach up to 42 kilometers.

It was emphasized by Macron that the French arms should only be used against targets that are launching attacks into Ukraine.

“We must not allow them to hit other targets in Russia,” including civilian or other military targets, the French leader said.

Ukrainian servicemen fire a Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops, near the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine on May 31, 2023.

Ukrainian servicemen fire a Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops, near the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine on May 31, 2023.

Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters/File

Germany's Scholz supported Macron's statement by emphasizing that Ukraine is permitted to defend itself as long as it adheres to the terms set by the countries providing weapons, such as the United States, and international laws.

Scholz stated, "Ukraine has the right, according to international law, to take action to protect itself. This should be clearly acknowledged. It is perplexing when some individuals suggest that Ukraine should not be able to defend itself and use appropriate measures for this purpose."

KHARKIV, UKRAINE - MAY 26: An aerial view shows the destruction of the "Epicentr" hypermarket in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Russia launched a missile attack on the hypermarket during the day, with 200 people inside. Tragically, 11 people have been confirmed dead and 15 are still missing. The State Emergency Service is currently working on putting out the fire and locating the missing visitors.

Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images

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A deadly Russian strike in a Kharkiv megastore has resulted in the loss of 18 lives, marking the deadliest attack in Ukraine in recent weeks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Ukraine would not have been able to carry out the attack without substantial assistance from NATO. He warned that any intervention by the alliance could potentially lead to a widespread global conflict.

Putin mentioned during his state visit to Uzbekistan that long-range precision weapons rely on space-based reconnaissance for effective use.

He also highlighted the importance of highly skilled specialists using reconnaissance data for final target selection and launch missions in Western systems.

"So, it's important for officials from NATO countries, especially those in Europe, especially in small European countries, to understand the seriousness of the situation," he stressed.

"They need to remember that they come from small, densely populated countries, which is a significant factor to consider before discussing any potential actions against Russia."

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Belgium to provide Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighter jets

03:43

• Source:

CNN

Ukraine received important support from Belgium on Tuesday. Belgian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Belgium will provide Kyiv with 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years. This agreement was made as part of a security deal signed between the two countries in Brussels.

Belgium has agreed to provide Ukraine with at least $1.06 billion in military aid this year. President Zelensky shared on X that Belgium has also committed to supporting Ukraine for the next 10 years. The first batch of F-16 jets from Belgium is expected to arrive later this year.

According to Zelensky, the agreement includes various forms of assistance such as timely security support, modern armored vehicles, equipment for the air force and air defense, naval security, mine clearance, participation in the artillery ammunition coalition, and military training.

The meeting between Ukraine and Belgium took place following a recent agreement between Ukraine and Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a $1.08 billion weapons deal for Ukraine during the meeting.

In addition to Belgium and Spain, other countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, and Canada have also signed security agreements with Ukraine.

CNN’s Caitlin Danaher, James Frater, and Svitlana Vlasova contributed to this report.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the ongoing debate regarding the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine, with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz supporting Ukraine's right to defend itself