NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a German weekly newspaper that "the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine may last for years." He added that equipping Ukrainian forces with the latest weapons would increase the chances of liberating the Donbas region from Russian control. Stoltenberg stated to Bild am Sonntag: "We must prepare for the reality that it may take years. We should not hesitate to support Ukraine... even if the cost is high, not only for military support but also due to rising energy and food prices."
Stoltenberg had previously mentioned that the NATO summit in Madrid later this month is expected to approve a package of assistance for Ukraine aimed at helping the country transition from old Soviet-era weapons to NATO standard equipment. Ukraine pledged on Saturday to defeat Moscow as it faces Russian attacks near a major city in the east and multiple locations came under shelling and missile strikes. Russian forces suffered defeat in their attempt to storm the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in March and have since shifted their focus to the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
