- Military aid would safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty and encourage Russia to talk.
- Russian missiles and drones assaulted Ukraine on NYE and NYD.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin was following, not leading.
Western nations must be ready to support Ukraine over the long term as long as Russia doesn’t show any signs of giving up, said secretary general of NATO.
According to Jens Stoltenberg, military assistance would guarantee Ukraine’s survival as a sovereign nation and compel Russia to engage in peace talks.
The head of Russia claims that the West is destroying his nation by utilizing Ukraine.
On New Year’s Eve and Day, Ukraine was attacked by Russian missiles and drones.
According to Mr. Stoltenberg, the partial mobilization plan Moscow ordered in September demonstrated that Moscow had no immediate plans to halt the war.
“The Ukrainian forces had the momentum for several months, but we also know that Russia has mobilized many more forces, many of them are now training,” he said.
“All that indicates that they are prepared to continue the war and also try to potentially launch a new offensive.”
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, had earlier attempted to mobilize support for his country’s troops fighting in Ukraine by stating that the destiny of the nation was at stake.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, charged that Mr. Putin was only following rather than leading his forces.
The commander of the Ukrainian armed forces reported that 12 out of 20 Russian cruise missiles were shot down on Saturday. In the early hours of Sunday morning, 45 more Iranian-made kamikaze drones were shot down in the vicinity of Kiev, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
In the attacks, at least one person killed and numerous more were hurt.
The attack inflamed hatred and rage among Ukrainians who were already fed up with Russia’s relentless air campaign.
Some citizens chanted the national anthem as explosions shook the city, and officials accused Russia of purposefully targeting people who were gathered to ring in the New Year.
The head of the Kyiv police, Andriy Nebitov, shared a photo on social media of a wrecked drone with the Russian greeting “Happy New Year” scrawled over it.
“That is everything you need to know about the terror state and its army,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that the remains had crashed in a children’s playground.
Though no let up in hostilities looks to be in sight, Mr. Stoltenberg said NATO must ensure Ukraine stays in a strong position in the event of negotiation talks between the two sides.
“We need to provide support to Ukraine now, including military support, because that’s the only way to convince Russia that they have to sit down and negotiate in good faith and respect Ukraine as a sovereign independent nation in Europe,” Mr. Stoltenberg said.
“What we do know is that what Ukraine can achieve around that table is totally dependent on the strength on the battlefield.”
Prior to Mr. Stoltenberg’s interview, France – a NATO member – reiterated its backing for Ukraine.
“We will be beside you without fail. We will help you until victory is achieved,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in his own New Year’s address.
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