NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday asked Ukraine and its allies “not to lose hope” on the occasion of the two-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, AFP reports.

“The situation on the battlefield remains extremely difficult. President Putin’s goal of dominating Ukraine has not changed, and there are no signs that he is preparing for peace,” the NATO Secretary General said in a recorded message.

“But we must not lose hope. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated great capabilities and insane determination,” he insisted in this video published on the NATO website.

The conflict’s two-year anniversary comes as underequipped Ukrainian troops struggle to hold the front line, uncertainty remains over US support and new aid is blocked in Congress.

Jens Stoltenberg reminds of the recent promises of military aid by NATO countries “to the tune of several billion dollars”.

“This includes critical assets such as artillery munitions, air defenses and warships, as well as equipment and spare parts for (aircraft) F-16s, drones and mine clearance equipment. Additional support is coming,” he said.

Moscow started this war with the aim of “closing the door of NATO to Ukraine, depriving it of the right to choose its own path,” said Jens Stoltenberg. “But the opposite is happening: Ukraine is closer than ever to NATO,” he emphasized.

According to him, Ukraine will join NATO: “The question is not “if,” but “when.” “As we prepare for this coming day, NATO will continue to be with you for the security of Ukraine and ours,” he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday hailed the “extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people” during her arrival in Kyiv, where she and Canadian prime ministers are marking two years of conflict. , Belgium and Italy