Pistorius Reveals Where Germany Will Allow Ukraine to Strike Russia

In response to questions from Bundestag members regarding whether Berlin would allow Kyiv to use weapons supplied by Germany to strike anywhere in Russia, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that any use would be restricted to specific areas — particularly positions in Russian territory close to Kharkiv.

“The Chancellor’s decision allows for the use of (the weapons supplied by Berlin) only in certain areas of Ukraine, which also restricts their use for offensive actions. Therefore, I don't think there is anything further to add on this,” he said while answering a lawmaker's question on whether Germany would permit the use of arms provided to Kyiv for attacks within Russian territory, or if there would still be territorial restrictions.

The live question-and-answer session between Pistorius and the Bundestag members was broadcast by the German Phoenix television channel. Earlier, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told RIA Novosti that President Joe Biden had permitted Ukraine to use American weaponry to retaliate against targets threatening the Kharkiv region in Russian territory, though he maintained a ban on the use of ATACMS tactical missiles and other long-range fire systems.

Later, Wolfgang Büchner, the official spokesperson for the German cabinet, confirmed Berlin's decision to allow Kyiv to use German weaponry against Russian positions near the Kharkiv region. He assured journalists that Germany, as a supplier of arms to Ukraine, would not become a party to the conflict.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that some member countries, including the United Kingdom, had initially supplied weapons to Kyiv “without any restrictions.” On June 2, France allowed Ukraine to use its Storm Shadows/Scalps long-range missiles to strike targets in the Russian areas.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that representatives of NATO countries should realize “what they are playing with” when discussing allowing Kyiv to strike deep within Russian territory using missile systems supplied by the West. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, responded to potential new strikes within Russia, stating that President Putin and the military are aware of the situation and “are taking appropriate countermeasures and are prepared for it.”