NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the complexity of the situation on the Ukrainian front and called on allies to increase military assistance for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He said this during a press conference after a meeting in Brussels with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics.

“We need to realize that the situation on the battlefield is difficult. Russia doesn't plan for peace, they plan for more war. And we are also seeing how Russia has tried to launch offensive operations around for instance, Avdiyivka, but the fact that the situation on the battlefield is more difficult than we hoped. That's not an argument against support, it is an argument in favour of more support for Ukraine, because again, we cannot allow President Putin to win,” the Secretary General said.

Stoltenberg stressed the importance “that all allies continue to stand by the decisions we have made jointly at the Vilnius Summit.”

“All Heads of State and Government, all NATO Allies promised to stand by Ukraine, not only because it will be a tragedy for the Ukrainians if President Putin wins but it will be dangerous for us,” the Secretary General said.