Whatever concrete decisions for Ukraine's use of long-range missiles on Russian territory should be taken by the individual allies, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
"The specific decisions about how to use their weapons must be made by individual allies. Allies have different policies on this matter," Stoltenberg pointed out.
NATO's soon-to-be secretary-general said he welcomed talks about Ukraine's use of long-range missiles inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is demanding that Ukraine's allies allow it to use long-range missiles for deep strikes in Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden held talks in Washington on Friday about whether to allow Kiev to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia. But after the meeting, no decision of theirs on this issue was reported.
"I welcome these developments and these decisions, but individual allies make the final decision,", Stoltenberg stressed to LBC radio.
Some US officials are deeply skeptical that allowing Kiev to use such missiles would significantly change the situation on the battlefield, notes Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West would be directly pitted against Russia in the conflict if it allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles.
Asked about possible Russian retaliation should such a thing happen, Stoltenberg said there are no risk-free options in war.
"But I continue to believe that the biggest risk for us, for the UK, for NATO, would be if President Putin wins in Ukraine," he added.
NATO must put Ukraine in the best possible position, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a visit to Rome in response to a journalist's question about whether Britain would allow Kiev to use Britain's Storm Shadow missiles. ; in Russia, reported DPA, quoted by BTA.
At a press conference in the Italian capital, Starmer was also asked how he would respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments that allowing Kiev to use long-range missiles deep inside Russian territory would mean that NATO countries, the US and European countries are at war with Russia, Starmer said: "I think it is important for us to start from a fundamental position which is that this is an illegal war started by Russia and as a result Ukraine has a right to self-defence and we all - Italy, Great Britain and the other allies, those from NATO in particular - stand by Ukraine.
Starmer added that "This is a war against the values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law that apply in all our countries.
"That is why we have delivered military equipment, we have provided military training, we have provided money and there are future commitments to be made in relation to all of this. I think it is very important that it is a matter of principles that we put Ukraine in the best possible position and that is what we are discussing. We had the opportunity today to touch on this issue," he added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she shared Starmer's commitment to the defense of Ukraine, but added that allowing Kiev to use long-range missiles was the responsibility of individual countries.
"As for Ukraine, of course, for Kiev, it is very important for us that Kiev has the best conditions to sit at the table of peace negotiations. And that's exactly what we've been doing from the beginning and trying to do to ensure the best conditions for achieving that. And as for the permission to use long-range missiles, these are decisions that are made by the individual countries that provide these weapons, taking into account their constitution and legal framework. In Italy, as you know today, this permission is not being discussed for now, but these are all decisions that we fully share with our allies," Meloni added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov discussed with his Estonian counterpart Hano Pevkur ways to support the Ukrainian defense industry, in particular the purchase of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range missiles, Ukrinform reported, quoted by BTA .
Umerov's Facebook post reads: "We discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between our countries. The main focus was on possible new projects aimed at supporting the Ukrainian defense industry. In particular, the purchase of Ukrainian drones and long-range missiles.
Umerov emphasized: "We appreciate the contribution that Estonia has already made to strengthening our defense capabilities in the fight against the aggressor, as well as the openness of the Estonian side to new formats of cooperation."
"I am sincerely grateful to the Estonian people, government and personally to Minister Pevkur for the military, political and diplomatic support of Ukraine," added the Ukrainian Defense Minister.
As reported by Ukrinform, on September 6, Umerov discussed with the defense ministers of Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia new opportunities for joint production of Ukrainian weapons.