The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen, stated that the country did not restrict Ukraine from strikes by Finnish weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Finland allows its weapons to hit Russia
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen, said that a country waging a defensive war could strike military facilities on the aggressor's territory if it is necessary for self-defence.
Finland has not set any specific limits on its material aid to Ukraine but assumes that the materials will be used following international law. Russia is waging an illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. It includes strikes on military facilities on the aggressor's territory, which are necessary for self-defence.
Elina Valtonen
Finnish MFA chief
The issue became the subject of public debate after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the alliance's member states to consider loosening restrictions on strikes against Russia with Western weapons.
Attacks on the Russian territory by Western weapons: what preceded it
Several European countries do not object to Ukraine striking the Russian Federation with their guns, the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell said the day before.
In particular, the British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, also stated on May 3 that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have the right to strike Russian targets with weapons provided by London, and later, Sweden and Poland made similar statements.
Dutch PM Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke to ease restrictions on the armed forces. At the same time, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly called on the governments of the Alliance countries to allow Ukraine to strike military targets on Russia's territory with Western weapons.
