NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called on alliance member states to supply Ukraine with more weapons, according to an interview published on Friday.
“I call on the allies to do more. It is in the interest of our security to make sure that Ukraine prevails and that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin does not win,” Stoltenberg told the German news agency DPA.
Stoltenberg noted that it is perhaps even more important that Ukraine receives enough ammunition for systems already in place, adding that the need for ammunition and spare parts is “enormous.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a speech to a group of Western leaders last week called for a wide range of weapons and air defense systems to help counter the Russian invasion.
The United States also announced last week nearly $2 billion in additional military aid, including the Patriot air defense system, which offers protection against aircraft and cruise and ballistic missiles.
Stoltenberg told DPA that military support for Ukraine was the fastest path to peace.
“We know that most wars end at the negotiating table — probably this war as well — but we know that what Ukraine can achieve in these negotiations depends inextricably on the military situation,” he said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what Putin calls a “special military operation” against what he perceives to be threats to Russian security.
Ukraine and its Western allies have denounced Russia’s actions as an imperialist-style land grab and have imposed sanctions to try to disrupt the campaign.
The 10-month-old war has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes, left cities in ruins and rocked the global economy, driving up energy and food prices.