Western countries should be ready to provide long-term support to Ukraine, as Russia is not showing any signs of concession, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with the BBC.

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATOPhoto: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Profimedia Images

The partial mobilization ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in September showed that Moscow does not want to end the war for now, Jens Stoltenberg said on Radio 4’s “One World” show, quoted by News.ro.

Military support would ensure the survival of Ukraine as a sovereign country and would force Russia to sit down at the table and negotiate an end to the war, the head of NATO believes.

“Ukrainian forces have had a favorable period for several months, but we also know that Russia has mobilized much more forces, and many of them are now training,” he noted. “All this shows that the Russians are ready to continue the war, and that they may try to launch a new offensive,” warned Jens Stoltenberg.

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In his New Year’s speech, Vladimir Putin tried to demonstrate the need for solidarity and support for the troops fighting in Ukraine, saying that the very future of the country is at stake and that the West is trying to destroy Russia through Ukraine.

For his part, Volodymyr Zelenskyi accused Putin of covering himself with his troops, trying to cling to power.

“NATO must ensure that Ukraine remains in a strong position”

While a cessation of hostilities does not appear to be in the offing, Stoltenberg says NATO must ensure that Ukraine remains in a strong position should the prospect of talks between the two sides arise.

“We need to provide support to Ukraine now, including military support, because this is the only way to convince Russia that it should sit down and negotiate in good faith and respect Ukraine as an independent and sovereign state in Europe,” he said. Stoltenberg.

“What we know is that what Ukraine can achieve at this table depends entirely on its strength on the battlefield,” the NATO Secretary General emphasized.

Before Stoltenberg’s interview, France – a member of NATO – once again declared its support for Ukraine. “We will be with you without hesitation. We will help you to victory,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in his New Year’s speech, the BBC reports.

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