“There is no indication that Putin has abandoned his goal of controlling Ukraine,” warned Jens Stoltenberg, head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), on Monday. Nearly ten months after Moscow’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbor, Ukrainian forces inflicted a series of defeats on the Kremlin that liberated entire regions. However, Jens Stoltenberg believes that Russia has not yet spoken its last word.
“We should not underestimate Russia. It is preparing for a long war,” he said in an interview with AFP on Friday.
“Ready to be in this war for a long time”
“We see that they are mobilizing more forces, that they are also willing to take a lot of casualties, that they are trying to get access to more weapons and ammunition,” he said. We must understand that President Putin is ready to wage this war for a long time and launch new offensives. »
NATO countries, led by the United States, have provided Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of weapons that have helped it hold its own against Russian forces. Stoltenberg demands that these efforts continue until President Vladimir Putin understands that he “cannot win on the battlefield.”
Push Putin to the negotiating table
“The most likely thing is that this war, like most wars, will end at the negotiating table,” argues Jens Stoltenberg. Any solution must ensure that “Ukraine asserts itself as a sovereign and independent nation,” he stressed. “The quickest way to do that is to back them militarily so that President Putin understands that he cannot win on the battlefield but needs to sit down and negotiate in good faith. »
After setbacks suffered on the ground, Moscow launched waves of missile and drone attacks on civilian energy infrastructure. According to US reports, Washington is finalizing plans to send its most advanced Patriot missile batteries to Ukraine, which will complement other Western air defense systems already delivered to Kyiv.
Jens Stoltenberg said “talks are underway” about the Patriots’ extradition, but stressed that NATO countries must ensure that there are enough ammunition and spare parts to ensure that the weapons shipped so far continue to work.
Deliver working weapons
“We are in dialogue with the Allies about additional systems, but it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that all systems delivered are operational,” he explained.
Ukraine’s arms demand has depleted allies’ stockpiles, raising fears that the alliance’s defense industries may be unable to produce enough. “We are increasing our production for this specific purpose, both to replenish our own deterrence and defense stocks and to provide long-term support to Ukraine,” Jens Stoltenberg recalled.
“The most dangerous security crisis since 1945”
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to the West. It forced NATO into its biggest adjustment since the end of the Cold War by massively reinforcing its eastern flank. Finland and Sweden were pushed to join NATO.
“This is the most dangerous security crisis we have experienced in Europe since World War II,” said Jens Stoltenberg. It’s a crucial moment. The NATO chief clarified that despite a recent drop in Putin’s nuclear threats, the alliance “remains vigilant and will constantly monitor what it is doing.” “Nuclear rhetoric with references to the possible use of nuclear weapons is ruthless and dangerous,” emphasized the NATO chief. “Obviously, his aim is to dissuade us from supporting Ukraine, but he will not be able to do that. »