NATO Secretary General pledges support to Ukraine
(Photo: AP)
Brussels In anticipation of a feared major Russian offensive in the east and south-east of Ukraine, NATO has promised the government in Kyiv further arms deliveries. This was made clear by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the start of consultations between NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday. The meeting was also attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba.
Before the talks began, he stressed that what his country needs now, above all, is “arms, arms and arms”. Germany can also do more. These included fighter jets, air defense systems and armored vehicles.
“We know how to fight, we know how to win.” But without heavy weapons, his country’s suffering would only be prolonged, Kuleba said, while reiterating the call for a ban on Russian oil and gas imports.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said the countries in the alliance were also ready to deliver heavy weapons. At the same time, however, NATO is doing everything possible to avoid an escalation of the war, emphasized Stoltenberg.
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Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also said on her arrival at NATO headquarters that Germany would continue to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities. In May, Baerbock invited the NATO foreign ministers to an informal meeting in Berlin. It is now a matter of very close coordination in view of Russia’s war of aggression, which violates international law, said Baerbock. However, the minister had to leave the meeting early because her presence in the vote on compulsory corona vaccination in the Bundestag was “requested”, as it was said in her environment.
“Guns, Guns and Guns”
Russia is currently concentrating its troops in eastern and southern Ukraine after forces withdrew from the greater Kyiv area. The government in Kyiv now fears a large-scale offensive in Donbass in the east of the country.
The government in Kyiv fears a large-scale offensive in Donbass in the east of the country.
(Photo: IMAGO/ITAR-TASS)
According to British intelligence, heavy artillery shelling and air raids broke out again in the area on Thursday. Stoltenberg had promised that NATO would use the time the Russian units were being reorganized to supply Ukraine with the appropriate weapons.
Ukraine is not part of the military alliance, but nevertheless took part in the discussions in Brussels. Also invited were the non-members Finland and Sweden as well as Australia, Georgia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
“I came here today to discuss three most important things: guns, guns and guns,” Kuleba also wrote on Twitter. The supply routes must also be secured, there must be “long-term solutions”.
Met with Secretary General @jensstoltenberg at NATO HQ in Brussels. I came here today to discuss three most important things: weapons, weapons, and weapons. Ukraine’s urgent needs, the sustainability of supplies, and long-term solutions which will help Ukraine to prevail. pic.twitter.com/247GdqdPwj
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) April 7, 2022
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for further sanctions against Russia, which should be so crippling that the government in Moscow would be forced to end the war. The democratic world must stop buying Russian oil and gas, Zelenskiy said in a video speech. Russian banks would also have to be completely excluded from the international financial system. According to a spokesman, Selenski will receive EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Kyiv on Friday.
Moscow continues to deny allegations
It still seems as if economic prosperity is more important to the West than the prosecution of war crimes, said Zelenskyj, referring to the events in Bucha. He also has information that the Russians have changed their tactics and are now making civilian victims disappear so as not to leave any traces of war crimes, Zelensky said, without presenting any evidence.
Other recent reports on the war:
The government in Moscow denies the killing of civilians and accuses Ukraine of having fabricated events in order to provoke further sanctions against Russia and to torpedo ongoing talks between the two sides.
Since the Russian war of aggression began six weeks ago, more than four million people have fled abroad and thousands have been killed or injured. A quarter of Ukrainians have lost their homes, several cities have been destroyed.
The West has also reacted with severe sanctions against the Russian elites. The European Union is about to adopt a fifth tightening of sanctions. “Maybe this afternoon, tomorrow at the latest,” said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
Among other things, it provides for a stop to coal imports from Russia. The government in Moscow has forbidden to speak of a “war”. She calls the operation either a “special operation” or a “peace mission”.
More: Read the current developments in the Ukraine war in the live blog