“Ukraine has a right to defend itself and, according to international law, this right does not stop at the border,” Stoltenberg says.
In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg justified the Ukrainian invasion of Russia’s Kursk region by citing Kiev’s right to self-defense.
“Ukraine has a right to defend itself and, according to international law, this right does not stop at the border,” Stoltenberg says, emphasizing that NATO was not informed in advance of the Ukrainian plans and did not play a role in them.
The head of NATO acknowledges that Ukraine has taken a risk by advancing on Russian territory, but explains that it is a decision of Kiev. “President Zelensky has made it clear that the operation is aimed at creating a buffer zone in order to prevent further Russian attacks from across the border,” says Stoltenberg. “Like all military operations, it carries risks. But Ukraine decides how to defend itself”, he adds.
For its part, Moscow has declared that it will respond to the Ukrainian “provocation”, while warning the West that it is “playing with fire”.
Ukrainian troops invaded Russia’s Kursk region on August 6 and have continued their advance since then, while Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in eastern Ukraine as they aim to reach the strategic hub of Pokrovsk.
Source :Skai
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