Britain and France at the UN Security Council spoke about Ukraine's strikes on the Russian Federation.

Support for Ukraine's right to self-defense expressed by the United Kingdom and France at the UN Security Council meeting

On August 30, 2023, at a UN Security Council meeting, representatives of the United Kingdom and France expressed strong support for Ukraine's right to self-defense, including the possibility of strikes on Russian territory. This statement was made in response to Russian complaints about arms supplies to Ukraine and accusations of potential conflict escalation.

This was reported by Ukrinform.

Political Coordinator of the UK Mission to the United Nations Fergus Eckersley emphasized the legitimacy of Ukraine's actions in the context of international law in his speech.

"Direct strikes on civilian infrastructure are a war crime. According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine has the right to self-defense against attacks from Russia. This does not deprive it of the right to project power into Russian territory if these actions are in accordance with international law," Eckersley said.

The British diplomat also drew attention to Russia's tactics, which continue to escalate the conflict with increased strikes on Ukraine's civilian population. According to him, Russia is counting on Kyiv not daring to retaliate. Eckersley firmly stated that the United Kingdom will continue to provide Ukraine with all necessary means to protect its people, despite threats from the Kremlin.

French representative Nicolas de Rivière sharply reacted to Russian accusations regarding arms supplies to Ukraine in his speech, as reported on the website of the French permanent mission to the UN. He emphasized that international community support for Ukraine annoys Russia as it hinders its aggressive plans. De Rivière stressed that France fully understands Ukraine's needs and will continue to provide comprehensive military support.

The French diplomat also noted that Ukraine must have the ability to respond to strikes on its facilities and neutralize military targets on Russian territory directly involved in attacks on Ukraine. He emphasized that this is Ukraine's realization of its right to self-defense, which is not limited to its own territory.

In response to Russian complaints about arms supplies to Ukraine, de Rivière reminded that Russia itself receives weapons, ballistic missiles, and ammunition from North Korea and Iran. He stressed that, unlike assistance to Ukraine, which is carried out within the framework of international law, Russia receives these weapons in violation of UN resolutions and sanctions.

Ukraine needs permission to use allied weapons against Russia

Meanwhile, earlier media reports indicated that it is insufficient for Ukraine to have permission to use allied weapons against targets in Russia to change the course of the war.