“We have to prepare for the fact that it could take years,” he told the German newspaper “Bild am Sonntag” according to the preliminary report. But one should not let up Ukraine to support. “Even if the costs are high, not only for military support but also because of rising energy and food prices.”
But that is no comparison to the price that the Ukrainians have to pay with many lives every day. And if the Russian ruler Vladimir Putin learns from this war that he can carry on as he did after the 2008 war in Georgia and the occupation of Crimea in 2014, then the West will pay an even higher price.
Ukraine could drive out Putin’s troops with modern weapons
Stoltenberg said that although the fight in Donbass was being waged more and more brutally by Russia, the Ukrainian soldiers put up a brave resistance. With more modern weapons, the likelihood increases Ukraine Putin’s troops could also be expelled from the Donbass. Regarding nuclear threats, the NATO chief said Putin must know: “You cannot win a nuclear war and it must never be waged. Our clear signal to Russia: NATO protects all member states.”
However, Stoltenberg confirmed that the western alliance would not intervene in the fighting. “NATO will be the Ukraine continue to support them in their self-defence, but is not part of the conflict. We’re helping the country, but we’re not going to send NATO soldiers into it Ukraine send.” You have strengthened your own defense with 40,000 soldiers under NATO command. The alliance area is secured on land, at sea and in the air. “That is a clear message to Moscow, so that there are no misunderstandings about our preparedness. “
He hopes Finland and Sweden could join NATO soon, Stoltenberg said. To this end, he is counting on further talks with the blocking member Turkey, which ties the accession to conditions such as dealing with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). “Turkey is an important NATO country with strategic importance between Europe, Russia, Iraq and Syria.” The NATO countries, Sweden, Finland and the EU classified the PKK as a terrorist group. “No NATO country has suffered as much from terror as Turkey,” said the NATO chief. “That’s why we take Turkey’s concerns very seriously and are doing everything we can to address them.”
At the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June, the alliance will declare that Russia is no longer a partner, but a threat “to our security, to peace and stability,” said Stoltenberg. China will also appear in a paper for the first time. “Because China’s rise is a challenge to our interests, our values and our security.”
Source: Nachrichten
