Allowing Ukraine to use EU weapons doesn’t mean dragging EU into war - Borrell

Giving Ukraine permission to use weapons provided by EU countries to hit military targets on Russian territory would not imply that the EU or its individual member states is at war with Russia.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said this ahead of the informal defense ministerial in Brussels on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Those countries sending long-range missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine will decide how these weapons can be used. I think it is ridiculous to say that allowing targeting inside Russian territory means to be at war against Moscow. We are not at war against Moscow, it’s ridiculous to say that. We are supporting Ukraine, and Ukraine is being attacked from Russian territory. And according to international law, it can react, attacking places from where it is attacked. There is nothing strange in this, whether you agree or not," Borrell stressed.

He recalled that on Thursday, the issue of lifting restrictions for Ukraine on the use of European weapons against Russian military targets was discussed at the level of foreign ministers, and confirmed his personal support for lifting such bans.

"I have to have my own opinion, even if I'm trying to push for a consensus among member states. But it is clear that this is something that belongs to (the competence of) each one of them. This is not the EU policy," the high representative stressed.

He emphasized once again that granting a permission to use weapons provided to Ukraine against legitimate targets inside Russia does not mean that the EU or its member states get drawn into a war with Russia. They only support Ukraine, and do so in various ways, including by supplying weapons, fighter jets, and by training Ukrainian military personnel, Borrell explained.

As reported, an informal meeting of the EU ministers in the Gymnich format is underway in Brussels today. Yesterday, discussions on the most important foreign policy issues took place among the ministers of foreign affairs, and today the security issues are being discussed by the ministers of defense. The first point on the agenda of both meetings is continuing and strengthening military support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.