The NATO Parliamentary Assembly allowed Ukraine to attack Russia with allied weapons

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, an independent institution of the Atlantic Alliance, approved this Monday a declaration of support for Ukraine’s ability to attack military targets in Russia, including with weapons supplied by allied countries.

At the same time, the same parliamentary assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) this Monday accepted Kosovo as an associate member after 10 years of observer status (2014), Bulgarian public radio reported from Sofia, where the assembly ends its work. Today is work that took place over the weekend.

As for the declaration of support for Ukraine’s use of weapons supplied by allies, its text was approved by 47 of the 56 countries or institutions that are part of the organization that serves as a link between NATO and the parliaments of member countries of the Atlantic Alliance.

In addition to the 32 NATO countries, the institution is attended by delegates from partner parliaments or observers from other countries or organizations such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Several NATO countries that sent weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend against the Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022, stipulated that the equipment would not be used to attack military positions on Russian soil.

Today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it was time to lift that restriction and said attacking military targets on Russian soil from which Ukraine is being bombed is a form of legitimate self-defense.

Otherwise, according to the official, Ukraine will remain with “tied hands” in repelling Russian aggression.

“Allies must decide on restrictions on the use of weapons on legitimate military targets abroad, this is not a NATO issue. Even now, some members have restrictions and others do not,” Stoltenberg emphasized during a press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar . Glavchev.

“Russia violated the sovereignty of another country. This is a violation of international law to which we have all signed up. Ukraine has the right to defend itself. We, as allies, have the right to help Ukraine defend itself. this does not mean that NATO is a party to the conflict,” Stoltenberg said.

The Atlantic Alliance’s secretary general insisted that NATO has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, station forces in Ukrainian airspace or train troops on Ukrainian soil.

In addition, the spokesman went on to say, NATO’s main goal is to ensure that the conflict does not spread beyond Ukraine and escalate into a confrontation between the Atlantic Alliance and Russia.

Regarding Kosovo’s entry as an associate member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani was “proud” of such a move.

“NATO is the destiny of Kosovo and this measure will ensure that the voice of the most pro-NATO people on the planet is heard,” Osmani wrote on the social network X.

Driton Hyseni, head of the Kosovo delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said that this recognition comes after several years of excellent cooperation with the Kosovo Parliament.

After Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, authorities in Kosovo, a country that unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008, quickly sought NATO membership.

On Sunday, Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic called on members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly not to grant partner status to Kosovo, arguing that it would be a reward for the Pristina authorities for their attempts to interfere with the European-mediated dialogue. Union (EU).

Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence and believes that it cannot be accepted into international bodies.