Ukraine can defeat Russia’s invasion, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday at a meeting in Berlin, urging the alliance to keep sending military aid to Kyiv, AFP reported.
“Ukraine can win this war. Ukrainians are bravely defending their homeland,” said Stoltenberg, adding that “we must continue to step up and sustain our… support to Ukraine.”
“Russia’s war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned. They failed to take Kyiv,” Stoltenberg told reporters by video link. “They are pulling back from Kharkiv and their major offensive in Donbass has stalled.”
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The NATO chief added that the alliance will look at providing security guarantees for Finland and Sweden during the interim period from their application for membership to accession.
“Finland and Sweden are concerned about the interim period… we will try to speed up that process,” the NATO secretary general said.
“We will look into ways to provide security assurances including by increasing NATO presence in the region.”
At the meeting, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that NATO countries are ready to provide military aid to Ukraine to help it repel Russia’s invasion for as long as it needed.
“We agree that we must not and will not let up in our national efforts, especially in terms of military support, for as long as Ukraine needs this support for the self-defense of its country,” Baerbock said.
Stoltenberg also voiced confidence at resolving Turkey’s concerns on expected membership bids by Sweden and Finland.
“I am confident we’ll be able to find common ground, consensus on how to move on membership issues,” Stoltenberg told reporters virtually at a NATO meeting in Berlin, adding that he was in touch with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
“Turkey made it clear that its intention is not to block membership,” Stoltenberg told reporters virtually after alliance foreign ministers met in Berlin.
He said he was in touch with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after Ankara alleged that the Nordic nations were home to “terrorists,” a reference to Kurdish separatists.
“I am confident we’ll be able to find common ground, consensus on how to move on membership issues,” Stoltenberg said.
With AFP
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