Russia is preparing for a protracted war against Ukraine, to which NATO allies must continue supplying weapons until President Vladimir Putin realizes that “he cannot win on the battlefield,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told AFP on Friday. quoted by Agerpres.

Almost ten months after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian forces inflicted a series of defeats on the Kremlin, which allowed several territories to be liberated. But “there is nothing to indicate that Putin has abandoned his goal of controlling Ukraine,” the NATO Secretary General warned.

“We should not underestimate Russia. It is preparing for a long war,” Stoltenberg said in an interview with AFP. “We see that it is trying to mobilize more forces, that it is ready to suffer numerous losses, that it is trying to get access to more weapons and ammunition,” he emphasized.

“We have to understand that President Putin is ready to be in this war for a long time and start new offensive actions,” he said.

NATO countries, led by the United States, provided Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of weapons, which helped it fight Russian forces.

“Most likely, this war will end at the negotiating table, like most wars,” Stoltenberg said. Any decision must ensure that “Ukraine will win as a sovereign and independent nation,” he insisted.

“The fastest way to get here is to support them militarily, so that President Putin understands that he cannot win on the battlefield, but that he must sit down and negotiate in good faith,” the NATO Secretary General added.

After losses on the ground, Moscow launched waves of missiles and drones at civilian energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

According to information spread by the American media, Washington is going to finalize plans to send its most advanced Patriot missile batteries to Ukraine, which will thus complement other Western air defense systems that have already been delivered to Kyiv.

Stoltenberg said “discussions are ongoing” about the delivery of the Patriot, but stressed that NATO countries must ensure that sufficient ammunition and spare parts are available to continue the operation of the weapons sent.

“We are in dialogue among allies about additional systems, but it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that all systems that are delivered are operational,” he explained.

Ukraine’s requests for weapons have depleted member countries’ stockpiles and raised fears that the alliance’s defense industry may not be sufficient.

“We will increase our production precisely for this purpose, to be able to both restore our own stocks for deterrence and protection, and to continue to support Ukraine in the long term,” Stoltenberg recalled.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to the West. This forced NATO to undergo its biggest adjustment since the end of the Cold War, massively strengthening its eastern flank. Finland and Sweden were also encouraged to start procedures for joining NATO.

“This is the most dangerous security crisis we have faced in Europe since World War II,” Stoltenberg said. “This is a turning point,” he added.

Jens Stoltenberg said that despite Putin’s latest reduction in nuclear threats, the Alliance remains “vigilant.” “Nuclear rhetoric with references to the potential use of nuclear weapons is imprudent and dangerous,” the head of NATO emphasized. “His goal, of course, is to discourage us from supporting Ukraine, but he will not succeed,” he said.

Jens Stoltenberg’s mandate at the head of NATO, extended for a year in March, expires at the end of 2023. The 63-year-old former Norwegian prime minister did not specify whether he will leave the post next year for good. “I have no other plans,” he said.

He declined to comment on calls by some allies for a woman to replace him, which would be a first for the Alliance.

“My goal is to carry out my duties as NATO Secretary General in such a way that the Alliance remains united,” he said. “This is my only concern, and I leave it to the heads of state and government to decide who will be my successor,” he concluded.

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