NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday the war in Ukraine could last for years, but a delivery of state-of-the-art weapons would increase Kiev’s chances of liberating the eastern Donbass region from Russian control.
“Although the fight in Donbass is being waged more and more brutally by Russia, Ukrainian soldiers are bravely resisting. With more modern weapons, the likelihood increases that Ukraine will be able to drive Putin’s troops out of the Donbass again,” Stoltenberg told Deutsches Magazin picture on sunday in an interview published on Sunday.
The NATO chief believes it is impossible to predict when the war will end. “No one knows. We have to be prepared that it may take years,” he was quoted as saying. “We must not let up in supporting Ukraine, even if the costs are high, not only for military support but also because of increasing ones energy and food prices.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday it was crucial to continue supporting Kyiv as the conflict dragged on. “When Ukraine fatigue sets in, it’s very important to show that we’re with them for the long haul and give them the strategic resilience they need,” Johnson said after a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital.
Stoltenberg said last week that NATO was exploring a plan to place more weapons along its eastern border and rotate more troops through the region. While the alliance’s allies agree that there should be a larger NATO presence on its eastern flank, there have been internal debates about how best to position forces in the region.
NATO leaders are prepared for this Meeting in Madrid discuss the Ukraine conflict at the end of the month and adopt their new “Strategic Concept”, a strategic document outlining the Alliance’s missions for the coming decade.
Stoltenberg said that under the new strategy, Russia will no longer be viewed as a “partner” but as a “threat” to security, peace and stability. The document will also mention China for the first time, the NATO chief said, noting that “China’s rise is a challenge to our interests, our values and our security.”