Sweden does not oppose Ukraine using Swedish weapons to strike targets on Russian territory.
This was reported by the Swedish publication Hallandsposten.
Amid ongoing NATO discussions about whether to permit Ukraine to attack Russia with Western weapons, a journalist from Hallandsposten asked Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson about Sweden’s stance on the issue.
“Ukraine is suffering from unprovoked and illegal aggression by Russia. According to international law, Ukraine has the right to defend itself through military actions directed at the enemy’s territory, provided these actions comply with the laws of war. Sweden supports international law and Ukraine’s right to self-defense”, Jonsson replied.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sweden has supplied Ukraine with various weapons, including Carl Gustav and NLAW anti-tank grenade launchers and Archer self-propelled artillery units.
Debate Over Using Western Weapons Against Russia
Amid the renewed Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine has intensified its calls to NATO countries for permission to strike Russian territory with Western weapons. This includes requests to the United States, France, and the United Kingdom for long-range missiles that could target Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.
In May, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while in Kyiv, stated that Ukraine has the right to decide how to use American weapons. However, he noted that the U.S. does not encourage Ukraine to strike Russian territory.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also mentioned the absence of restrictions, stating that Ukraine could freely use British Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Russia.
Nonetheless, the majority of NATO countries do not support strikes on Russia with Western weapons, including Germany, France, and Italy. As a result, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called on Alliance members to lift this restriction.
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