Jean-Louis Bourlanges, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, has urged France to change its policy and allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory. This statement, reported by Ukrinform and cited by Le Figaro, reflects a call for a serious shift in France’s stance on the conflict.
Bourlanges argues that France should align its decisions with those of the UK and the US, emphasizing that Paris has long aimed to lead in showing solidarity with Ukraine and coordinating among allies.
He believes that this policy change is justified to address the imbalance between the aggressor, Russia, and Ukraine, the victim of aggression.
Since the beginning of the war, Russian long-range weapons have targeted the entirety of Ukraine, supported by allies like North Korea and Iran.
While Ukraine has retaliated with domestically produced weapons, Bourlanges questions why Ukraine should be restricted from responding with similar strikes against Russian territory.
He calls for lifting this “unjustified taboo,” stating that only by balancing the strategic positions can the ongoing aggression from Russia be effectively countered. Bourlanges insists that rebalancing the forces is crucial to persuading President Putin to cease his aggressive actions.
Previously, the United States has maintained that while it does not endorse strikes on Russian territory, it is finally up to Ukraine to decide its military strategies. Similarly, the UK has placed the responsibility for the use of Storm Shadow missiles on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.