Blinken's statement about attack on Russia gives us hope – Ukraine's head of mission to NATO

Nataliia Halibarenko, the head of the Ukrainian mission to NATO, believes that sooner or later, a decision on the right of Ukrainian troops to use US weapons to strike targets in Russia will be made.

The ambassador noted in an interview with Ukrinform news agency that at all meetings and negotiations, the Ukrainian side has always stated that Russia's war against Ukraine gives Ukrainian forces every right to hit targets on Russian territory. In this context, she recalled the latest statements of the US Secretary of State during a visit to Kyiv.

"Blinken's statement, which he repeated twice, that Ukraine is the one to choose its targets, created hope that the United States had changed its position: Ukraine should make its own decisions on the territories where it uses certain Western weapons, especially American ones," Halibarenko said.

However, she clarified that later on, the Pentagon's position was completely different, saying that the United States expects Ukraine to use American weapons only on Ukrainian territory.

Halibarenko insists that Ukraine can hit the Russian Federation while defending itself. The ambassador hopes that Washington will take this position, too.

"The decision that we have the right to use American weapons beyond Ukraine must be made sooner or later. It is a pity that we are wasting time searching for a solution that should not cause doubts. But we will continue to promote it at all levels," Halibarenko said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba insists that Ukraine should be able to strike military targets on the territory of the Russian Federation since this will help bring the end of the war closer. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed in an interview with Reuters that Ukraine is negotiating with international partners on the ability to use their weapons against targets on the territory of Russia.