NATO Secretary General Says 'Not Too Late' for Ukraine to Defeat Russia

Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv on April 29 for an unannounced visit. This is the third time the NATO chief has visited Ukraine since a full-scale conflict between the country and Russia broke out in February 2022, according to Reuters.

The visit comes as Kyiv faces difficulties on the battlefield due to a lack of weapons and troops, while Moscow makes some slow progress. In Kyiv, Mr. Stoltenberg will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and is scheduled to address the country's parliament .

"Ukraine has been outgunned for months, forced to limit ammunition... But it is not too late for Ukraine to win," Mr. Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Mr. Zelensky, according to AFP.

Mr. Stoltenberg and Mr. Zelensky in Kyiv on April 29

Stoltenberg said the US delay in providing military aid to Ukraine for months had had “serious consequences on the battlefield”. But he said new assistance was “on the way”.

"NATO members are looking at what more they can do and I expect to have further announcements soon. So we are working to meet Ukraine's urgent needs," he said.

Mr Zelensky called on international partners to speed up the delivery of weapons so Ukraine can reinforce its frontline. "The Russian army is trying to take advantage of the situation while we wait for supplies from our partners," the Ukrainian leader said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on April 29 that it had taken control of the village of Semenivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, a day after the Ukrainian military admitted it had withdrawn from the village and two nearby villages. Russia also said on April 28 that it had captured another village in the same area, although Kyiv did not confirm this.

In another development, a Turkish official said on April 29 that Ankara has informed its NATO allies that it supports Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to become the next NATO secretary general, according to Reuters. Ankara's support is an important condition for Mr. Rutte to move closer to this position, after the US, Britain, Germany, France and several other members of the alliance voiced their support for Mr. Rutte.

Türkiye has not yet publicly voiced its support for Mr Rutte to succeed Mr Stoltenberg, whose term ends in October. But Ankara’s latest move could increase pressure on Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who has formally declared his candidacy for the post of NATO secretary general, to withdraw from the race.

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