Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Nato’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has sought western countries’ long-term support for Ukraine as Russia shows no signs of relenting.
Stoltenberg told the BBC that military support would ensure the survival of Ukraine as a sovereign country. He was of the view that the military support would force Russia to sit down and negotiate an end to the war. Russia’s leader accuses the West of using Ukraine to destroy his country. Russian missiles and drones hit Ukraine on New Year’s Eve and Day, according to BBC.
Russia prepared to continue war: Nato Chief
Russia’s partial mobilisation programme that was ordered in September last year showed Moscow had no desire to end the war at present, according to Stoltenberg as nhe spoke to Radio 4’s World at One programme. He said the Ukrainian forces had the momentum for several months, and added that Russia has mobilised many more forces. He said all that indicates that they are prepared to continue the war and also try to potentially launch a new offensive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky accused Putin of hiding behind his troops rather than leading them. According to the head of Ukraine’s armed forces, 12 out of 20 Russian cruise missiles were shot down on Saturday while the Ukrainian Air Force said that a further 45 Iranian-made kamikaze drones were shot down around Kyiv just hours into the New Year on Sunday.
