NATO believes that the war in Ukraine may continue for a long time. There are no signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin has given up on his ambitions to control all of Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the 30 foreign ministers of the alliance states in Brussels. One must be aware that the war can last “many months or even years”.
Stoltenberg explained the withdrawal of Russian troops from northern Ukraine with a major offensive in the east, planned according to NATO findings. The armed forces must be strengthened and rearmed to take over the entire Donbass and create a land bridge to the already occupied Crimean peninsula in Ukraine.
“We must support Ukraine”
According to Stoltenberg, the consequence of the developments is that NATO must prepare for a long journey. “We need to support Ukraine, enforce our sanctions, strengthen our defenses and deterrence,” he said.
Stoltenberg promised Finland and Sweden a speedy positive response if they were asked to join the defense alliance. “If they decide to sign up, I expect all allies to welcome them,” Stoltenberg said Wednesday at the start of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. They have been working together for many years and the two countries met defense alliance standards. Sweden and Finland are the “close partners”.
Concern that Russia could use the time between an eventual application and final admission to attack the countries should not be an argument against accession, Stoltenberg said. “I am sure we will find ways to allay their concerns about the time between a possible application and final ratification,” he said. However, he did not want to talk about the details publicly.
Sweden and Finland consider joining NATO
Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, there have been intensive discussions in both Finland and Sweden about possible NATO membership. So far, the two countries have been neutral, which is also highly valued by Russia. It cannot therefore be ruled out that Russia could respond militarily to an application for membership.
As a guest at the meeting of foreign ministers, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto pointed out that there was a very intense debate on national security in his country. The government is currently preparing a document on security and defense for parliament. Subsequently, the various options are discussed, including possible NATO membership. General opinion in Finland has changed rapidly since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For the first time, a clear majority of the population is in favor of NATO membership.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
