BERLIN: Ukraine was fully within its rights to launch its surprise offensive into Russia鈥檚 Kursk border region as an act of self-defense, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told German newspaper Die Welt.
The offensive launched on August 6 caught the Kremlin off guard, with Kyiv claiming to have captured dozens of settlements and more than 1,200 square kilometers (nearly 500 square miles) of territory.
鈥淯kraine has a right to defend itself. And according to international law, this right does not stop at the border,鈥� Stoltenberg said in an interview with Die Welt published Saturday.
鈥淭he Russian soldiers, tanks and bases there (Kursk) are legitimate targets under international law.鈥�
The offensive also surprised Kyiv鈥檚 allies, with Stoltenberg saying Ukraine 鈥渄id not preview its planning鈥� with NATO and that the Western military alliance 鈥減layed no role.鈥�
Stoltenberg also welcomed Germany鈥檚 commitment to remain Ukraine鈥檚 largest European military donor and second-largest worldwide, as Berlin prepares cuts to its aid to Kyiv in next year鈥檚 budget.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz鈥檚 government came under fierce criticism for the decision last week. He says Germany will continue to supply the outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian military with the equipment it needs.
The Kursk offensive has changed little on the front line in eastern Ukraine, where Russia continues to claim incremental gains, including three villages on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged his army faces an 鈥渆xtremely difficult鈥� situation near the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region, with Russian troops closing in.