Brussels, 28 April 2023 (GNP): Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg claimed on Thursday that its allies and partners had sent Ukraine 1,550 armored vehicles and 230 tanks to assist it in organizing units and reclaiming territory invaded by Russia.
Stoltenberg stated at a press conference that “more than 98%” of the combat vehicles pledged to Ukraine have been delivered” since the start of the conflict in February last year.
“In total we have trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian armored brigades. This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory,” he added.
The new brigades are expected to consist of more than 30,000 soldiers. “Vast amounts of ammunition” have also been given by Ukraine’s allies, and some NATO members, including Sweden and Australia, have also sent armored vehicles.
Good meeting with PM @Xavier_Bettel of our valued Ally #Luxembourg. I thanked him for the key contributions to #Ukraine. #NATO Allies & partners have trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian armoured brigades. We will continue our support for as long as it takes. pic.twitter.com/ZUnAWqvimA
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 27, 2023
Along with artillery and anti-aircraft systems, NATO members such as Poland and the Czech Republic supplied MiG-29 aircraft built in the Soviet Union.
The weapons employed by NATO have been utilized to drill thousands of Ukrainian soldiers.
Stoltenberg praised the “unprecedented military support to Ukraine” but also highlighted that “we should never underestimate Russia”.
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Moscow stepped up its ground operations and was “willing to send in thousands of troops with very high casualty rates”, he said.
Stoltenberg stressed that NATO members “must stay the course and continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs to prevail” in the face of what seems to be a protracted battle. According to him, a NATO summit in Lithuania in July will lay out details for a “multi-year program of support” for Ukraine.
“This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory”, he remarked.
His remarks come the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for a “long and meaningful” period of time on the phone, marking their first known interaction since Russia’s all-out invasion more than a year ago.
Beijing claims to be impartial in the situation in Ukraine, and Xi has never criticized the Russian invasion. Western countries are putting more pressure on the Chinese leader to intervene and mediate after his recent diplomatic trip to Moscow.
Stoltenberg speculated that “Maybe this war will end at the negotiating table”.
He did, however, point out that “it is for Ukraine to decide what are the conditions for talks and what format any talks should have”.
“Any possibility for meaningful negotiations requires that Ukraine has the necessary military strength to send a very clear message to President (Vladimir) Putin that he will not win on the battlefield”, he added.
