MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th September, 2022) The conflict in Ukraine is reaching a "critical phase," and Kiev and its Western partners should prepare for hard times in the coming cold months, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
"Winter is coming and it will be hard. Hard for the Ukrainian people and armed forces... and hard for those of us who support them," Stoltenberg wrote in an article, published by the Financial Times.
The conflict in Ukraine is entering a "critical phase," the NATO chief noted, adding that Western countries have prepared over a dozen new projects to help Ukraine face winter. The bloc is determined to continue helping Ukraine to "strengthen its defence and security sector for the longer term, and transition from Soviet-era weapons to Nato-standard capabilities."
Stoltenberg also said that the upcoming months will be very hard for the allies.
"We face a difficult six months, with the threat of energy cuts, disruptions and perhaps even civil unrest... There are tough times ahead, but we have faced tough times together before," he said.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls by the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics for protection from Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the goal of the operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, is to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine, and to completely liberate Donbas. Western countries responded by sanctioning Russia and boosting arms supplies to Ukraine.
In April, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.
