NATO Secretary General pleads for increased military support to Kiev in the framework of a counter-offensive

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday appealed for increased military support from the alliance for Ukrainian forces to carry out their counteroffensive against Russia. Arms deliveries and replenishment of allied ammunition stockpiles will be at the center of discussions between defense ministers and their Ukrainian counterparts ahead of an alliance summit in Vilnius on Thursday.

“The most obvious thing is to make sure they have the weapons and supplies to continue the attack.”Jens Stoltenberg said. “Minister [Oleksii] Reznikov and Ukrainian military commanders will communicate urgent needs » Against Russian troops, he explained on his return from Washington. The matter will be discussed at a meeting of the US-led Contact Group for Ukraine, known as Ramstein’s Group, organized at NATO headquarters in Brussels before a meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers.

“Ukrainian forces are conducting a large-scale counteroffensive. It has only just begun and we don’t know if this will be a turning point in the war, but the Ukrainians are moving forward to liberate territories.NATO’s Secretary General underlined. “No one can predict the evolution of the battlefield. When faced with well-prepared stationary forces, mines and defensive lines, casualties are expected and fighting is fierce.he added.

Jens Stoltenberg expects “New Notifications” Supply of arms and ammunition made by USA, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany. “Weapons supplied by NATO countries used for counter-attacks make a difference”, he emphasized. But still “Our stock is going down. We cannot continue at this rate,” he said.warned that

Jens Stoltenberg pleads “upgrade” NATO invites countries to sign munitions and weapons stockpiling capacity targets and collective agreements. 1 billion dollars was earmarked this year for 155 mm ammunition, he recalled. Representatives of the Department of Defense, “SMEs and Groups”Ramstein was invited to meet coalition ministers after the group meeting.