France explains stance on Ukrainian long-range attacks

(MENAFN) French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot clarified on Monday that France is still considering allowing Ukraine to target Russian territory with French-supplied SCALP missiles, following reports that the U.S. has shifted its stance on the issue.

Multiple Western outlets reported that the Biden administration has reversed its policy, now permitting Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike targets in Russia, specifically in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been active since August.

In response to these reports, *Le Figaro*, a Paris-based newspaper, initially claimed that France and the UK had also authorized Ukraine to use their respective missiles—SCALP and Storm Shadow—on Russian territory. However, the paper later updated its article, removing any mention of French and British approval for such strikes.

Barrot emphasized that President Emmanuel Macron had publicly stated in May that France was considering such an option, but nothing had changed in Paris' position since then. He reaffirmed that France would only permit such strikes if they were aimed at targets from which Russia is actively attacking Ukrainian territory.

SCALP is a long-range missile developed jointly by France and the UK, and both countries have supplied Ukraine with these weapons since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022.

The Kremlin responded to these reports by warning that U.S. approval for strikes deep into Russian territory would mark a significant escalation, suggesting that it could lead to NATO’s direct involvement in the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously warned that such actions would trigger asymmetrical responses, including arming adversaries of the West with advanced weaponry.

MENAFN20112024000045015687ID1108904851