Stoltenberg warned of protracted conflict in Ukraine

It is necessary to be prepared for a long conflict in Ukraine, this country may cease to exist if the fighting stops, stated NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg to the Funke media group.

“Most wars last longer than expected at the outset. Therefore, we must be prepared for a long war in Ukraine. We all want a quick peace,” Stoltenberg said.

The NATO Secretary General also called on Germany to increase defense spending. The minimum target in this context is, according to him, 2% of GDP. He added that Ukraine “will cease to exist if it stops fighting.” Peace is possible only if “Russia lays down its arms,” the alliance’s secretary general believes. He also spoke in favor of broad security guarantees for Kyiv and said that sooner or later the country would join NATO.

During the July summit in Vilnius, NATO member countries agreed on the conditions for Ukraine’s entry into NATO. An invitation to join will be sent to Kyiv after all conditions are met and unanimous consent of all members of the bloc is achieved. As noted, the “formal” conditions for joining the alliance will be relaxed for Kyiv, which will allow it to shorten the accession process. There were no clear deadlines for Ukraine’s entry into NATO. Before this, Stoltenberg stated that Ukraine could not be accepted into the alliance until the end of the conflict.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously stated that NATO countries are actually fighting on the side of Ukraine, and there is no place to be drawn deeper into the conflict.