NATO Secretary General says West should prepare for protracted conflict in Ukraine

• 01.02.2023, 12:10
•  Europe,  World

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Western countries to prepare for a protracted conflict in Ukraine, NEWS.am reports.

He said in an interview released Sunday to the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC that they need to be prepared for a long journey. In his view, Russia has no intention of abandoning its goals in Ukraine. Stoltenberg believes that Russia's mobilization indicates a possible attempted new offensive by Russian troops.

Speaking about the possibility of Moscow and Kiev making peace, the NATO secretary general stressed that the terms of a treaty to resolve the conflict would depend on the situation on the battlefield. Most wars end in peace negotiations. It is likely to be the same with this war. But it is known that the terms on which peace will be concluded for Ukraine depend entirely on the balance of power on the battlefield, he pointed out. In this regard, Stoltenberg believes it is necessary for the West to continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine in order to convince Russia to sit down at the negotiating table and recognize Ukraine as a sovereign, independent European state.