NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned in an interview published on Sunday not to hope for a quick end to the war in Ukraine, as the Ukrainian army is engaged in a counter-offensive to push back Russian troops.
“Most wars last longer than was anticipated when they started,” Stoltenberg emphasized in the interview with the German media group Funke. “That is why we must prepare for a long war in Ukraine.”
The war began in February 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The Ukrainian army has been carrying out a counter-offensive since June to push back Russian forces in the south and east, but only a limited number of cities have been recaptured.
“We all want peace soon,” Stoltenberg said. “But at the same time we must recognize: if President (Volodymyr, ed.) Zelensky and the Ukrainians stop fighting, their country will no longer exist.”
“Als president (Vladimir, red.) Putin and Russia lay down their arms, we will have peace,” Stoltenberg declared.
Regarding Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, Stoltenberg said: “There is no doubt that sooner or later Ukraine will become a member of NATO.” Kiev moved closer to NATO during the alliance’s summit in July, he explained.
“When this war is over, we need security guarantees for Ukraine. Otherwise, history could repeat itself,” he warned.
At the NATO summit in Vilnius, alliance leaders agreed that Ukraine could become a member of NATO if certain conditions were met. The leaders of the United States and Germany emphasized that reforms to protect democracy and the rule of law are among those conditions.
