Stoltenberg after meeting with Biden: “The war could be long-lasting”
Western countries must prepare for a long-lasting war of attrition in Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said after a meeting with US President Joe Biden on Thursday.
In a meeting with the press in Washington, Stoltenberg said that the conflict had already developed into a war of attrition.
“The Ukrainians pay a high price for defending their country on the battlefield. But we also see that Russia has big losses,” he added.
Stoltenberg reiterated that NATO does not want a direct confrontation with Russia. At the same time, he stressed that the Alliance has a responsibility to help Ukraine.
At some point, the war will probably end at the negotiating table, according to Stoltenberg.
“It is not up to us to decide or have strong opinions about what Ukraine should accept or not accept,” Stoltenberg said when he was asked whether the West is trying to pressure Ukraine to accept the loss of territories in order to negotiate a peaceful solution.
He said he is optimistic about possible solutions for transporting grain out of Ukraine, also by ship. He did not want to specifically comment on whether NATO is considering escorting ships carrying Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea.
Source : © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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