French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Monday that Ukraine should be permitted to use French weapons, including long-range missiles, to target locations within

Russia that are launching attacks on Ukraine. Macron emphasized this stance during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Brandenburg, Germany.

"We believe Ukraine should be allowed to neutralize military sites from which they are being attacked," Macron said. "If Ukrainian soil is being attacked from bases in Russia, how can we tell them they cannot hit the points from which these missiles are fired?"

France has provided Ukraine with SCALP cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 155 kilometers (96 miles) and carry a 400-kilogram (881-pound) high-explosive penetration warhead. These missiles are comparable to Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles, which the UK has also supplied to Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron recently stated that Ukraine has the right to use these weapons at its discretion.

"In our view, it is Ukraine’s decision on how to use these weapons as they defend their country against Putin’s illegal invasion," Cameron said during a visit to Kyiv. "Russia has attacked Ukraine, and Ukraine has the right to strike back."

France has also supplied a range of military equipment to Ukraine, including Caesar self-propelled howitzers with a range of up to 42 kilometers. Macron underscored that these arms should only be used against military targets from which attacks are launched into Ukraine, not other targets within Russia.

"We must ensure that they do not strike other targets in Russia, including civilian or other military targets," Macron insisted.

Chancellor Scholz echoed Macron’s sentiments, affirming that Ukraine has the right to defend itself within the boundaries of international law and the conditions set by the countries supplying the weapons.

"Ukraine is within its rights under international law to defend itself," Scholz said. "It is strange to argue that Ukraine should not be allowed to defend itself and take necessary measures."

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin argued that Ukraine could not use long-range weapons without significant NATO support, suggesting that such involvement could trigger a global conflict. "Long-range precision weapons require space-based reconnaissance and highly skilled specialists," Putin said during a state visit to Uzbekistan. He warned European NATO countries to consider the risks of escalating the conflict.

In a related development, Ukraine received a significant pledge of support from Belgium, which will supply Kyiv with 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years. This agreement, part of a bilateral security deal signed in Brussels, includes at least $1.06 billion in Belgian military aid for 2024 and a long-term commitment to support Ukraine over the next decade.

"Belgium’s assistance includes modern armored vehicles, air defense equipment, naval security, mine clearance, and military training," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. This follows a similar agreement between Ukraine and Spain, further bolstering international support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict. Photo by Remi Jouan, Wikimedia commons.