By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned NATO members in Europe against allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons for strikes deep within Russia, suggesting this could ignite a global conflict. This warning comes over two years into the most lethal land war in Europe since World War II, with Putin increasingly emphasizing the potential for a wider global confrontation as the West deliberates over Russia's advances in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview with The Economist, advocated for allowing Ukraine to target deep inside Russia with Western weaponry a position supported by some NATO members, but not by the United States. Putin, addressing reporters in Tashkent, warned of severe consequences from continuous escalation. He questioned how the United States would respond to these consequences, given the strategic weapons parity between the two nations, and pondered if they desired a global conflict.
Putin asserted that Ukrainian long range strikes on Russia would necessitate Western satellite, intelligence, and military assistance, thus directly involving the West. He also indicated that sending French troops to Ukraine would be a significant step towards global conflict. Highlighting the vulnerability of small European NATO members, he urged them to consider their limited land areas and dense populations before advocating for strikes deep into Russian territory.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked the most severe rupture in relations with the West in six decades, now escalating into what diplomats describe as its most perilous phase. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian deaths, millions displaced, and widespread destruction of urban areas. Russia, currently controlling 18% of Ukraine, is making further advances and has opened a new front in the Kharkiv region, sparking Western debate on additional support for Kyiv, which has already received hundreds of billions of dollars in aid, weaponry, and intelligence.
Despite Russia's warnings, Western leaders and Ukraine have downplayed the risk of a broader conflict involving NATO and Russia, the world's largest nuclear power. Ukraine maintains its right to strike behind Russian lines, including on Russian sovereign territory, as part of its defense strategy. However, Russian officials warn that their patience is waning after repeated Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities, oil refineries, and elements of its nuclear early warning system.
In a conversation with Russian state television, Putin questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, suggesting that the only legitimate authority in Ukraine was its parliament, whose head should be granted power. Zelenskiy's term has expired, but elections have not been held due to the imposition of martial law following the invasion.