The head of NATO’s military committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, warned on Thursday during a visit to Kyiv that Ukraine’s allies should not be too pessimistic about its ability to repel Russian troops, but called for the quick delivery of important aid packages, News reported. ro.

Bauer led the first official visit to Kyiv by a NATO military delegation since February 2022, when Russia sent thousands of troops to Ukraine in a multi-pronged invasion.

Kyiv troops feel a lack of ammunition and strength and retreat to the east, where Russian troops are advancing.

“Ukraine needs even more support. And it needs it now. Time in Ukraine is not measured in days, weeks or months. It is measured in human lives. In allied countries, a week is a week. In Ukraine, a week is a forever lost mother, father, child, friend, beloved,” Bauer said at the Security Forum organized by Kyiv.

He also talked about the missile attack on Kyiv last night when he was there and when the Ukrainian capital was targeted by a wave of 31 Russian missiles, including Kinjal hypersonic missiles.

The admiral noted Ukraine’s stability and ability to quickly adapt to changes in many aspects of modern warfare.

Bauer met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. “Thank you for your first visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. This is a serious signal of support for our society. The support of NATO and allies is crucial for the morale of our soldiers and civilians in Ukraine. We appreciate the fact that we can count on you,” he said. he. said the head of the Ukrainian state.

He informed the head of the Military Committee about the priority defense needs of Ukraine and emphasized the urgent need for additional air defense systems to reliably protect Ukrainians from constant missile and drone attacks.

The head of state also presented the expectations of the Ukrainian side from this year’s NATO summit in Washington.

“We are counting on a correct assessment of our country’s achievements and the decisions of the Washington Summit, which will bring Ukraine closer to joining NATO,” Zelenskyi said.

The world has moved from too optimistic assessments to too pessimistic vision of Ukraine’s victory

Bauer also met with Ukrainian Army Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi to discuss the current combat situation. Syrsky reported on Facebook that they discussed the supply of ammunition and anti-aircraft defense.

With the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Bauer discussed the prospects of the combat training of the Ukrainian military and cooperation in the field of defense industry, the department reported.

“While the world may have been too optimistic in 2023, we must not make the same mistake of becoming too pessimistic in 2024,” Bauer said at the Kyiv Security Forum, expressing confidence in Ukraine’s ability to succeed on the battlefield. “Pessimists don’t do that.” to win wars,” he added.

“NATO and Ukraine are closer than ever”

In his speech at the event, the official said that his visit is proof that “NATO and Ukraine are closer than ever.”

“Together, we are doing everything possible to make Ukraine a member of our Alliance. The Swedish flag will not be the only yellow-blue flag at the NATO headquarters,” he promised.

The admiral noted that NATO countries will have to increase the production of shells and missiles, as Russia is doing. He assured that there are financial resources for this.

“Ukraine can and will win with our help. I tell you from the bottom of my heart that you are not alone. You are not alone. NATO supports you,” NATO’s top military officer assured his hosts.

“Why? Because we all believe in the power of democracy. That’s what’s at stake here. Russia’s war against Ukraine was never related to a real security threat from Ukraine or NATO. This war is due to the fact that President Putin fears something far more powerful than any physical weapon on earth: democracy. If the people of Ukraine can have democratic rights, real democratic rights, then the people of Russia will soon want them too. This is really the essence of this war,” the admiral explained in his speech.

He also said that President Putin made two strategic mistakes: he underestimated Ukraine’s resolve and he underestimated NATO’s unity.

In mid-January, Lt. Admiral Rob Bauer said that the civilian population of NATO countries should be prepared for the prospect of all-out war with Russia within the next 20 years.

“We need a transformation of NATO for war,” Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer said, as red tape hampers the rapid cross-border movement of troops and weapons along one of the main corridors leading from the North Sea to NATO’s eastern flank.

Read also:

• Lloyd Austin: “Survival of Ukraine is under threat”
• Ukraine hopes that it will have enough ammunition from April / Germany offers it new military aid

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