NATO Considers Loosening Rules on Weapon Use Against Russia

The North Atlantic Alliance is discussing the possibility of easing restrictions on the use of transferred weapons against Russia, according to Sky TG24.

The issue will be raised at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting scheduled for October 15 in Brussels. According to the report, the proposed adjustment aims to make the alliance’s eastern defense flank more effective amid growing tensions and evolving military dynamics in Eastern Europe.

Sources say the discussion is linked to the start of Operation Eastern Sentinel, which is viewed within NATO as a testing ground for integrated air and missile defense coordination among member states. The operation underscores the alliance’s intent to strengthen response mechanisms and collective readiness near the Russian border.

However, the process of relaxing the rules faces significant hurdles. Each NATO member state currently imposes its own “national restrictions” when transferring equipment to alliance command structures, limiting the unified operational use of certain systems.

“The challenge lies not in technology or intent, but in legal and political boundaries set by individual capitals,” a NATO source told the publication.

European Military Aid to Ukraine Has Declined Sharply

Earlier reports indicated that the European Union’s military aid to Ukraine dropped sharply in the summer of 2025—by approximately 57 percent—despite NATO’s new procurement initiative to purchase U.S. weapons for Kyiv. Analysts suggest this reduction may have increased internal pressure within NATO to revisit operational limits and coordination policies.

Whether or not consensus will be reached at the upcoming Brussels meeting remains unclear, but defense observers note that such discussions mark a shift toward more flexible alliance doctrine amid prolonged confrontation with Russia.