Russia lambasts France for offering long-range missiles to Ukraine; threatens consequences

Russia on Monday, July 10 criticised France for offering the longer-range missiles to Kyiv. At his daily press briefing, Dmitry Peskov lambasted the NATO summit in Vilnius and vowed that Russia would respond to a decision by French President Emmanuel Macron to deliver longer-range weapons that will help the Ukrainian forces target Russia. 

"From our point of view, this decision is a mistake with consequences for the Ukrainian side, because this will of course force us to take countermeasures," Kremlin spokesman Peskov said at the briefing. 

A mistake by France

Peskov iterated that supplying longer-range weaponry was a mistake by France. He continued that Ukraine will pay the price and will face the consequences of such a decision. “These decisions cannot affect the course of events within the special military operation, they can only worsen the fate of the Ukrainian regime," Peskov reportedly said. He added that the European leaders do not seem to understand that such a move will push NATO closer to a direct confrontation with Russia. 

Arriving at the NATO summit, which is focused on Ukraine's counteroffensive against the Russian invasion, Macron announced that he would send the SCALP missiles to Kyiv that were previously delivered by the UK as “Storm Shadow" missiles. Macron stressed that missile delivery will allow the Ukraine military to strike at Russian occupation forces “in-depth." SCALP/Storm Shadow is an Anglo-French missile that boasts a range of 250 kilometres (155 miles), the longest so far supplied to Ukraine. Macron stressed that Ukraine has submitted an undertaking that its forces will refrain from the SCALP against Russian targets." The undertaking has been given “in coherence with our doctrine, that is to say, to permit Ukraine to defend its own territory," Macron noted. 

Meanwhile, ahead of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded for NATO membership as he tweeted that it would be “absurd” if Ukraine was denied entry. Any refusal will be a motivation for Russia to “continue its terror," Zelenskyy said. “We value our allies. We value our shared security. And we always appreciate an open conversation. Ukraine will be represented at the Nato summit in Vilnius. Because it is about respect," he stressed. 

“But Ukraine also deserves respect. Now, on the way to Vilnius, we received signals that certain wording is being discussed without Ukraine. And I would like to emphasise that this wording is about the invitation to become a NATO member, not about Ukraine’s membership," he concluded.