Finland has not set limits on use of weapons sent to Ukraine – Philip Travkin

Ukraine is free to use military aid provided by Finland however it sees fit, say Finnish officials.

The future commander of the Estonian Defence Forces told Yle that Ukraine must be able to take the war to Russia with weapons provided by Western countries.

Finland has not set any restrictions on the use of weaponry supplied to Ukraine, according to defence ministry sources and the chair of parliament’s defence policy committee.

According to Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) restrictions on the use of weapons have been set mainly by the countries that have provided Ukraine with long-range weapon systems.

On Wednesday, the next commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Col. Andrus Merilo, told Yle that Western countries have made a mistake in limiting the use of the weapons they gave to Ukraine only to Ukrainian territory.

The chair of the parliamentary defence committee, Jukka Kopra (NCP), said that Finland has not set such limits.

“According to my information, Finland has not set such restrictions, and Ukraine has the right to use these weapons against military targets also on Russian soil,” he told Yle.

Häkkänen said that Finland has an ongoing discussion with its allies about the limitations on arms aid to Ukraine.

“These larger countries, which have, among other things, provided these long-range missile systems, of course they also have a say in how they can be used,” he said.

In the first months of the war, for example, the United States in effect forbade Ukraine from using US-supplied weapons against targets on Russian soil.

The Defence Forces commented to Yle on Wednesday in an email that the political will of Nato and the rest of the West and the condition for military aid is that Western weapons should not be used in attacks on Russian soil.

Yle also asked Nato whether the Nato countries have given Ukraine instructions on how and where the military aid can be used. According to Nato’s response, any such guidelines are up to individual member states.

Nato’s position is that Ukraine has the right to self-defence, and that includes the right to strike Russian military targets outside of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence tells Yle that Finland has not set any restrictions on the use of material sent to Ukraine. Finland has not publicly said what weapons it has given to Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Finland sent its 22nd military aid package to Ukraine, bringing the total value of such packages to roughly 1.8 billion euros.

“If necessary, Ukraine should also strike military targets on the Russian side. It is a completely legitimate defensive battle that Ukraine is waging. The UN Charter allows military targets to be attacked across land borders,” said Kopra.

In an interview with Yle, the future commander of the Estonian Defence Forces said he was surprised by the passivity of many Western countries in helping Ukraine. In recent months, Ukraine has repeatedly requested more long-range weapons.

“I think it’s about a lack of will, not a lack of weapons or equipment,” said Merilo, who takes up his new post in July.

On Monday, outgoing Finnish President Sauli Niinistö took part in a meeting in Paris, where leaders of more than 20 European and North American countries agreed to boost arms aid to Ukraine.

Häkkänen and Kopra say that Ukraine should get more long-range missiles, such as Germany’s Taurus missiles.

“I encourage Germany to seriously consider it. The German government does know that they would be of great importance,” said Häkkänen.

Experts have suggested that Ukraine could use such missiles to destroy the Kerch bridge to Crimea, for example, which might have a decisive impact on the course of the war.