NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg believes that since Ukraine is defending itself against Russia’s incursion, the defensive vs. offensive weapon supply differentiation does not apply.
Speaking at a briefing with media representatives ahead of the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels today, April 7, Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba noted that “each weapon used on the territory of Ukraine by the Ukrainian army against the foreign aggressor is defensive by definition. Countries that say that they can only supply defensive weapons are being hypocritical.”
He added that Ukraine will use all weapons, including tanks and high-speed jet fighters, to defend itself.
Stoltenberg agreed with Kuleba’s statements, saying that Ukraine’s war is defensive, rendering the difference between defensive and offensive weapon supply irrelevant.
At the same time, he emphasized that NATO is making every effort in order not to let the conflict spill out from Ukraine: “We are providing help while trying to stop the conflict from escalating.”
The Czech Republic became the first NATO country to send T-72 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate unanimously revived Lend-Lease, a World War II-era measure that allowed the America to quickly resupply Allies in the fight against Nazi Germany.
