The Secretary-General considers that the Russian military operation in Ukraine is not going as planned
Ukraine can take a victory in its fight against Russian forces, as the situation on the battlefield does not develop according to Moscow’s plans, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claimed on Sunday.
Stoltenberg spoke to reporters after informal meetings with military bloc foreign ministers, revealing that the main topics of discussion were “strong support for Ukraine, further strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defense, and the long-term consequences of the war.” including the Alliance’s future position on Russia.
“Russia’s war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned. They failed to take Kyiv. They are withdrawing from around Kharkiv, their major offensive in Donbass has stopped. Russia is not achieving its strategic goals,” Stoltenberg said.
He added that, contrary to the alleged wishes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is continuing its struggle, “NATO is stronger than ever” and the United States and Europe are “firmly united”.
“Ukraine can win this war. Ukrainians bravely defend their homeland,” the alliance’s secretary general said, adding that stockpiles of weapons and other support from its supporters “make a real difference on the battlefield.”
Therefore, Stoltenberg said, the bloc should continue to support Ukraine.
The Secretary-General revealed that the NATO summit in Madrid in June will prompt members to make “important decisions”, including measures aimed at strengthening the bloc’s deterrent position.
At the same time, Russia insists that it is meeting all its objectives in Ukraine and will not block the intended route. During a TV broadcast on Saturday, the Russian ambassador to the United States said that there would be no “capitulation”.
“We will never give up, we will not take a step back,” he claimed.
Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian “military operation” in Ukraine was going “according to plan”.
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Moscow has consistently warned the West to “pump up” Ukraine with weapons, arguing that it would only lead to an extension of the conflict and create long-term problems. It has also stressed that all foreign weapons on Ukrainian territory would be considered legitimate targets.
Russia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, which were first signed in 2014, and Moscow’s final recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics. The German- and French-mediated protocols were designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.
The Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kyiv insists that the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims that it planned to retake the two republics by force.
(RT.com)