NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg once again faces flare-ups from Russia that Ukraine is planning a so-called “dirty bomb” attack during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
– Is absurd. The allies reject these false accusations and Russia must not use false pretexts to further escalate the war, she says.
The secretary general reiterates his promise that the alliance’s support for Ukraine is ready.
– Ukrainian forces are becoming stronger and better equipped with each passing week. At the same time, we continue to strengthen our defenses. We are strengthening our presence from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, Canadian fighters are helping to keep the skies safe, and thousands of soldiers are in Romania to discourage, says Stoltenberg.
Discuss the situation in the Black Sea
The press conference will be held at the alliance headquarters in Brussels, on the occasion of a meeting between the Secretary General and the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciuca.
During their meeting, it was reported, they specifically addressed the situation in the Black Sea, which is strategically important for NATO.
– The Russian war has turned parts of the Black Sea into a war zone. Missiles launched by Russian warships hit Ukrainian cities, and the Russians blocked Ukrainian ports for several months. It led to the biggest global food crisis in recent years, he says.
NATO wants to put an end to this situation.
– Planning for a violent escalation
– I can’t let Putin win
Asked by the public if he can estimate when the war in Ukraine could end, the Secretary General replies that he does not want to speculate.
– I just want to say two things: we are ready to support Ukraine until the end. We cannot let President Putin win, it would be a disaster, a tragedy for Ukrainians, but it will also make NATO allies more vulnerable, because his lesson will be that he can achieve his goals through the use of military force, he says and keep on:
– It will not just be a lesson for him, but for other authoritarian leaders around the world.
The second thing the secretary general wants to say is that “wars end at the negotiating table”.
– At the same time, we know that what Ukraine can achieve at the negotiating table completely depends on its strength on the battlefield. Therefore, we need to strengthen their negotiating position through military support – this is exactly what we are doing – to maximize the likelihood of an acceptable outcome for Ukraine and minimize the time it takes to get there.
