Ukraine is capable of producing long-range weapons - General Petraeus

He said this in a comment for Ukrinform during a speech at the American University Kyiv.

Answering a question about what measures should be taken to counter the massive ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in the context of the commitment to not use Western weapons against targets in the Russian Federation, General Petraeus said: “There have never been any restrictions on what Ukraine itself produces.”

“I believe that Ukraine will develop capabilities on its own that will eventually allow it to cope with this threat,” he said.

He also believes that the current restrictions are justified: “We want our leaders to be prudent and careful. We have seen examples of what can happen when they are not.”

At the same time, Petraeus recognizes that there may be some evolution in the thinking of the West.

The former CIA chief also said that he sees extraordinary opportunities and capabilities to produce long-range weapons at domestic facilities.

Speaking about the role of the Western coalition in countering the threat of Russian ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine, General Petraeus said that first of all, it is necessary to continue to provide Ukraine with weapons to shoot down such missiles.

Petraeus emphasized that the downing of the Russian supersonic Kinzhal missile by the Patriot system is the best advertisement for the system's manufacturer, Raytheon.

He also reminded that the current US presidential administration, with the strong support of the Congress, has already provided Ukraine with over USD 38 billion in defense assistance.

• On June 2, it became known that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, emphasized the relevance of tanks for the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which would provide decisive firepower.