Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support China’s peace plan for Ukraine, suggesting that Russia cannot be defeated militarily. Scholz disagreed, emphasizing Germany’s support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself. Meanwhile, discussions on the use of long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russia continue to be debated.
Russia has warned Ukraine that any attacks on its territory using long-range weapons will be met with a swift and severe response. This statement comes as Ukraine seeks permission from the United States to utilize long-range weapons against deeper targets within Russia, a request met with hesitation due to escalation concerns. The Russian warning was delivered following a deadly missile strike on Ukraine’s Poltava city, which further fueled Ukraine’s calls for long-range weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to provide long-range weapons to other countries that could be used to strike Western targets in retaliation for NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian soil. Putin also reiterated Moscow’s willingness to employ nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is threatened. His remarks come as Western nations authorize Ukraine to hit targets within Russia with long-range weapons, escalating tensions and concerns over international security. Putin claimed that Western-supplied weapons are controlled and targeted by military personnel from those countries, prompting Moscow to consider ‘asymmetrical’ actions. The US military, however, denies any direct involvement in missile control or target selection. Putin also dismissed any potential shifts in Russia-US relations regardless of the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election.
