Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Rob Bauer said that in 2024 one should not be too pessimistic, because pessimists do not win wars and there is every reason to be confident in Ukraine's ability to succeed on the battlefield.

"Despite all its sufferings, despite all the destruction, Ukraine remains a sovereign state. You are incredibly strong. The world sees it. Russia knows it. This is by no means an easy fight. You don't need me to tell you that. But while the world may have been overly optimistic in 2023, we should not make the same mistake by becoming overly pessimistic in 2024. Pessimists don't win wars," Bauer said during the 16th annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation.

He stressed that "if you look at the facts: there is every reason to be confident in Ukraine's ability to achieve success."

Bauer recalled the latest attack on Kyiv on Thursday night, noting that all missiles were intercepted by Ukrainian forces.

"There is nothing you cannot do. The only thing you need… is our help. NATO Allies, and many other nations around the world, are providing unprecedented support to Ukraine and it has made a real difference. But Ukraine needs even more support. And you need it now," the head of the NATO military committee said.

He emphasized that time in Ukraine is not measured in days, weeks or months, but "is measured in human lives."

"In Allied nations, a week is a week. In Ukraine, a week is a mother…father… child… friend… lover… lost forever," Bauer said.

He also recalled the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference, who said: "Don't ask Ukraine when the war will end, ask yourself why Putin is able to continue it."

Bauer stressed that it would be a serious historical mistake to allow Putin to gain the upper hand.

"It will be dangerous for all of us. Because the outcome of this war will shape the fate of the world," he said.