NATO: Russia-Ukraine war could last a decade

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General at the Informal Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on June 1, 2023 - Photo: Getty.

Prepare a long script

Asked whether NATO allies needed to prepare for a war lasting more than 10 years in Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg said yes.

"I want to stress that support for Ukraine needs to be even stronger. The longer we commit to supporting Kiev, the sooner this war can end," Mr Stoltenberg told the BBC. "At the moment, President Vladimir Putin believes that Russia can wait until we stop supporting Ukraine. So the war continues."

Mr Stoltenberg, whose term as secretary-general ends in October, has repeatedly called on NATO allies to increase their defence spending amid the alliance’s risk of splitting. Some member states, including Slovakia and Hungary, have questioned NATO’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, instead calling for a peace deal.

Former US President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, also asserted that he would end the war immediately if he won in November, on terms that could force Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.

Asked whether a second Trump term might reduce funding for NATO, Mr Stoltenberg replied that “the right thing to do would be to invest more in our defence”.

Commitment and support for Ukraine

At the recent NATO summit in Washington, the alliance highlighted Ukraine's "irreversible" path to NATO, clarifying its current commitments to Kiev "as a bridge to Ukraine's membership."

NATO allies also announced plans to provide Kiev with a minimum of 40 billion euros ($43 billion) in basic funding, and set up a new military command in Germany to train and equip the Ukrainian army.

NHAT DUY (According to Kyiv Independent)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/nato-chien-su-nga-ukraine-co-the-keo-dai-mot-thap-ky-20424071908494942.htm