BRUSSELS — The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, on Monday urged member states to allow Ukraine to use EU-supplied arms to strike targets inside Russia, signaling a potential shift in the bloc’s stance on the ongoing conflict.
“I’ve been saying repeatedly that Ukraine should be able to use the arms we provided to not only stop the arrow but also hit the archers,” Borrell told reporters ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
France, which has supplied Ukraine with long-range missiles, indicated on Monday that it remains open to Kyiv targeting military sites within Russia.
“This response seems appropriate, particularly given reports of North Korean troop presence on the Russian side,” a French official said, referring to recent allegations of Pyongyang’s military involvement in support of Moscow. “However, I regret that this information has already leaked—it would have been better as a surprise for the Russians.”
The remarks follow reports that the Biden administration has approved Ukraine’s use of U.S.-made weapons for strikes deep into Russia, a significant departure from Washington’s earlier restrictions on how Kyiv could deploy Western-supplied arms. Two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the decision confirmed the policy shift on Sunday.
The moves reflect a growing willingness among Western allies to escalate military support for Ukraine as the conflict with Russia drags on.
