Tue Sep 17 05:49:01 UTC 2024: ## NATO Chief Welcomes Talks on Ukraine Using Long-Range Missiles, Warns of Risks
**Oslo, Norway -** Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed support for ongoing discussions regarding Ukraine’s potential use of long-range missiles against targets inside Russia. However, he emphasized that the final decision rests with individual NATO members, each with their own policies on the matter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been urging allies for months to provide him with Western-made long-range missiles, including US ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to counter Russian attacks. The UK and US have been in talks on whether to approve such a move, but no decision has yet been announced.
While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly favors authorizing Ukraine to use the weapons, US President Joe Biden is said to be concerned about potential escalation and the risk of a direct conflict between NATO and Russia.
Stoltenberg acknowledged the potential risks, stating that “there are no risk-free options in the war.” He added, however, that “the biggest risk for us, for the United Kingdom, for NATO, will be if President Putin wins in Ukraine.”
Concerns about Russian retaliation are mounting. President Vladimir Putin has declared that any such action by Ukraine would be seen as a direct attack on Russia. Experts have cautioned that Putin’s options could range from striking British military assets near Russia to conducting a nuclear test as a demonstration of force.
Ulrich Kuehn, an arms expert from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy in Hamburg, warned that Putin might feel compelled to send a nuclear message to deter the West, even if it means conducting a nuclear test.
Gerhard Mangott, a security specialist at the University of Innsbruck, also suggested the possibility of Russia conducting a nuclear test, but considers it less likely than other retaliatory measures.
Former Kremlin advisor Sergei Markov has predicted that Russia could close the British embassy in Moscow and retaliate against British military assets, including drones and aircraft, if the UK allows Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles against Russian territory.
While Stoltenberg welcomed the ongoing dialogue, his comments highlight the delicate balancing act NATO faces: providing Ukraine with the necessary support to defend itself while mitigating the risk of a wider conflict with Russia.
First Piper 