Ukraine will be able to use Western weapons against Russians on their territory

Dmytro Zhmailo, co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian Centre for Security and Cooperation, said this on the Espreso TV channel.

"The Swedes have explicitly stated that Ukraine must get rid of all artificial restrictions. After all, according to international law, the rules and customs of war, a defending country can legally and legitimately strike military targets on the territory of the aggressor state. The aid is still coming, it is not enough. Even the promises of aid that were planned last year before the counter-offensive have not been fulfilled. I am sure that this is a matter of time, which we unfortunately lack. We will definitely get permission to strike at the territory of the Russian Federation, whether public or not. But in fact, we will be able to use Western weapons against Russians on their territory," he said.

Earlier, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said that some countries had given permission to use their weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation: "In addition to the British and Swedes, this list includes NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who called for the lifting of all restrictions, the chairman of the French National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, Jean-Louis Bourlange, and even the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson." The more such statements there are, the sooner we will get permission to use weapons to strike military targets in Russia, Zhmailo says.

The allies do not have many options for Ukraine to survive now, the UCBC co-founder believes.

"The amount of aid that is being allocated is clearly insufficient to meet all the needs of the frontline. The six-month starvation of the Defence Forces for Western weapons has led to the Russians invading Kharkiv region and putting pressure along the entire front line. New actions are needed to dampen the Russians' enthusiasm," he added.

• On May 1, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said that Ukraine had already received Western weapons from some partners with permission to use them to strike at Russian territory.
• The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe said that the United States should allow Ukraine to strike military targets in Russia's border areas.