NATO chief says Putin made a ‘big mistake’ by attacking Ukraine

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making a “big mistake” by attacking Ukraine on Thursday (March 24), as leaders gathered to discuss overhauling the coalition’s eastern defences.

“President Putin has made a big mistake and that is to start a war against an independent sovereign nation. He has underestimated the strength of the Ukrainian people, the bravery of the Ukrainian people and their armed forces,” Stoltenberg said ahead of the NATO summit. said. in Brussels.

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Stoltenberg said leaders of the US-led military coalition would “address the need for a reset of our deterrence and defense in the long term”, starting with agreeing new deployments to eastern members Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria.

NATO has already sent tens of thousands of troops to its eastern flank in the wake of Russia’s invasion to counter the threat of any further spread from the conflict in coalition countries.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is not in NATO, is set to appeal for more weapons and greater intervention in a video address to leaders, as he tries to give a strong response to the West.

“We look forward to meaningful steps. From NATO, the European Union and the G7,” Zelensky said ahead of the day of the summit of the three organizations in Brussels.

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“At these three summits we will see: who is the friend, who is the partner, and who has deceived us for money. Only when united can life be saved.”

NATO leaders are vowing to boost arms supplies to non-member Ukraine and provide protection against chemical and nuclear threats from Russia.

But the coalition has turned down pleas from Kyiv to impose a no-fly zone to help deter Russia’s attack for fear of being dragged into a “full” conflict with Moscow.

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“It is our responsibility to ensure that this conflict does not extend beyond Ukraine, which will lead to even more suffering, more deaths, more destruction,” Stoltenberg said.

Before leaving for Europe, US President Joe Biden warned of a “real danger” that the Kremlin could use chemical weapons in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg told reporters that “any use of chemical weapons would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict”.

“This would be a gross violation of international law, and would have widespread and serious consequences.”

NATO chief says Putin made a ‘big mistake’ by attacking Ukraine

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News East India staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)