New NATO head Rutte supports strikes deep into Russia

New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said he supports Ukraine striking targets deep into Russian territory, however stopped short of speaking on behalf of the entire bloc, saying it was up to ‘individual allies.’ Speaking at a press conference in Brussels to mark his accession to the role, the first question Rutte was asked was regarding the authorization for Ukraine to use long-range weapons, such as Storm Shadow and ATACMS, to strike at targets within Russian territory.

‘Ukraine is fighting a war of self-defense,’ Rutte said, ‘and that means that Ukraine has the right to defend itself.’ He added that ‘this right does not end at the border.’ However, the matter appears not to be settled. ‘At the end, it's up to each ally to determine its support, for Ukraine,’ he said, conceding that ‘this is an important debate.’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned NATO against authorizing its weapons for use against targets in Russia. Speaking to journalists last month, Putin said: ‘If this decision is made, it will mean nothing less than the direct participation of NATO countries.’