Wed. Feb 19th, 2025

NATO Secretary General: “We must continue to resist Russian aggression”


The war in Ukraine is entering a critical phase. Winter is coming, it will be hard. It’s hard for the Ukrainian people and armed forces who are fighting for their freedom, and it’s hard for those of us who support them.

Our unity and solidarity will be sorely tested as businesses and families feel the effects of skyrocketing energy prices and living costs brought on by Russia’s brutal invasion. We are in for a difficult six months, with the threat of power outages, disruptions and perhaps even civil unrest. But we must stay the course and stand up to tyranny—for Ukraine’s sake and for ours.

We are already paying for our support of Ukraine. But the price we pay is calculated in dollars, euros and pounds, and Ukrainians pay with their lives. And we will all pay a much higher price if Russia and other authoritarian regimes decide they can invade neighboring countries and flout international law with impunity.

If Russia stops fighting, there will be peace. If Ukraine stops fighting, it will cease to exist as an independent state.

We have a moral responsibility to support this independent democracy in the heart of Europe.

And we pay not only for supporting Ukraine, but also for our own security. Vladimir Putin has made it clear that he wants to wipe the country off the world map and rewrite the European security order. Russia has temporarily occupied about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory—that’s four times the size of Belgium, or half the size of Great Britain. Encouraged by any success, Russia may risk further aggression against other neighbors and even attack NATO allies.

So we have a choice about the world we want to live in. NATO Allies believe in the right of every nation to choose its own destiny. That’s why we are providing unprecedented financial, humanitarian and military assistance to enable Ukraine to remain a sovereign, independent state.

Since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, allied countries have poured billions of dollars into supporting Ukraine’s security sector and trained tens of thousands of military personnel, including special forces. This helped make the Ukrainian armed forces better controlled and prepared for another Russian invasion.

Since February, allies have sided with Ukraine along with unprecedented military, humanitarian and financial support. In June, NATO leaders agreed to an expanded aid package including fuel, food, medicine, military equipment, secure communications and equipment to counter mines and drones. We are preparing more than a dozen new projects to help Ukraine survive the winter. And we will continue to help the country strengthen its defense and security sector in the long term.

NATO is part of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which I will join again this week with the intention of sending a clear signal that we must continue to increase assistance to Ukraine. We see the enormous impact our support has on the battlefield every day. The Ukrainian army has proven its ability to resist Russian aggression, inflicting retaliatory strikes deep behind enemy lines and inflicting significant losses on the invading forces.

Large-scale sanctions imposed by NATO allies along with the EU are also having an impact on the Russian economy. They will hit even harder over time, given the exodus of talent and capital, as well as travel bans and asset freezes on the Russian elite.

The Kremlin has cut itself off from its closest and most lucrative oil and gas markets in Europe.

Above all, technology sanctions severely limit Russia’s access to the advanced semiconductors and chips it needs for its auto industry, aircraft and military needs. Our countries are seizing this opportunity to diversify our economies and energy supplies, strengthen our resilience, and permanently rid ourselves of Russia’s energy blackmail.

At the same time, we are making the most fundamental shift in NATO defense strategy since the Cold War, significantly strengthening our presence on the eastern flank, moving hundreds of thousands of troops to higher readiness and continuing to invest in advanced capabilities. NATO’s security guarantees leave no room for miscalculation; we are capable of protecting every inch of the alliance’s territory. And the allies are ready to support Ukraine’s right to self-defense.

There are difficult times ahead, but we have faced difficult times before. The cost of not standing up for our values ​​is always higher. For the sake of Ukraine’s future and our future, we must prepare for winter war and stay the course.


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