Ukraine's use of German and other Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia will not "contribute to escalation," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated in an interview with Antenne Bayern radio station on June 3.
Berlin, which had long opposed allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons for strikes within Russia, reversed its stance at the end of May following increasing pressure from Western leaders to lift the restrictions.
A German government spokesperson told Deutsche Welle on May 31 that Ukraine is now permitted to use German-supplied weapons against legitimate targets in Russia. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius clarified that this decision specifically pertains to the area around Kharkiv, where a renewed Russian offensive has been concentrated in recent weeks.
Scholz's statement marked the first time the chancellor publicly addressed the government's policy shift.
"We are certain that it will not contribute to an escalation because—as U.S. President Joe Biden has also described—it is only a matter of being able to defend a large city like Kharkiv," Scholz explained.
Previously, Scholz had consistently cited the fear of escalation as a primary reason for limiting Germany's support for Ukraine.
"And I think it is clear to everyone that this must be possible. Under international law, this has always been possible anyway," Scholz added.
The exact reason for the chancellor's change of heart remains unclear, but Scholz emphasized that he would not be "pressured into making a decision that is not right and not timely."
After months of hesitation, the White House partially lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Russia, stipulating that they only be used near the border with Kharkiv Oblast. Additional restrictions on the use of U.S.-supplied long-range weapons remain in effect.
Michael Carpenter, the senior director for Europe at the U.S. National Security Council, later indicated that the U.S. would allow Ukraine to strike targets in Russia across the border from both Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts with American-supplied weapons. He also confirmed that the ban on ATACMS remains in place.
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