Putin says lifting the ban on long-range weapons will mean “direct participation” of NATO in the war

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that if Western countries lift their ban on long-range weapons so that Ukraine can attack Russian territory, this would mean “direct participation” of NATO countries in the conflict, meaning Russia would be “at war” with the West.

“NATO countries are now not only discussing the possible use of long-range Western weapons by kyiv, but are also making a decision on whether to become directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict or not,” he said in a statement to the press.

Putin has recalled that if this happens, “the very essence” of the conflict will have changed. “We will take appropriate decisions based on the threats that are created against us,” he said, according to the TASS news agency.

The president also said that this Western weaponry can only be used “by military personnel from NATO countries” and that Ukraine cannot attack Russian territory without the satellites of the European Union or the United States.

His comments come after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this morning that the decision to authorize Kiev to use this type of weapon “was taken a long time ago and now they are simply trying to formalize it in the public space.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the “consistent and strong support” of kyiv’s key partners during a joint meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Tuesday.

During their meeting, the president insisted on the need for the country to obtain “as soon as possible” permission to use long-range weapons to attack Russian territory, a demand he has made on numerous occasions in recent months.