Germany under pressure to transfer cruise missiles to Ukraine
Germany's Bundestag President Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has called on the government to transfer cruise missiles to Ukraine as soon as possible.
"The Ukrainian military has the right to attack military targets on Russian territory with any weapon, regardless of its origin," she said.
The German government has so far been reluctant to provide Ukraine with cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometres. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that he wants to avoid escalating the conflict with Russia.
However, Strack-Zimmermann said that the international law allows Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression, even if it means using weapons that can reach targets on Russian territory.
"It is important to understand that the law of war does not distinguish between weapons," she said. "What matters is the intention of the attacker."
The Ukrainian government has been pushing for Germany to provide cruise missiles for months. The missiles would be a significant boost to Ukraine's defences, as they would allow it to target Russian military targets from a safe distance.
However, it is unclear whether Germany will agree to transfer the missiles. Scholz has said that he wants to avoid an escalation of the conflict, and he may be waiting for a commitment from the United States to provide Ukraine with similar weapons.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
