BRUSSELS: NATO will ramp up its help to get Kyiv in response to Russia’s “sham” referendums within occupied territories associated with Ukraine, the alliance’s Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Fri (Sep 23).
He spoke as Moscow released the votes at the four regions becoming a member of Russia, in what Kyiv and its allies say is a ruse in order to annex the territories and escalate the seven-month-old war.
“Our answer, NATO’s answer, is to step-up support, ” Stoltenberg told CNN in an interview.
“The best way to end this war is to strengthen the Ukrainians over the battlefield further so they can, at some stage, sit back and reach an answer which is acceptable for Ukraine and that preserves Ukraine as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe, ” he or she added.
The particular votes have elevated fears that Moscow could incorporate the particular four areas then portray attacks in order to retake them as an attack on Russian federation itself.
“That’s exactly what we need to be ready for, that Russia will use these sham votes to further escalate the war in Ukraine, ” Stoltenberg mentioned when asked about that scenario.
“But these votes have zero legitimacy and of course they don’t change anything. This particular continues to be a battle of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, ” he additional.
NATO allies have been supporting Ukraine with weapons, ammunition, other military machines and training.
The four-day referendums were hastily organized after Ukrainian troops earlier this 30 days recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counter-offensive.
Along with Russian President Vladimir Putin also launching a military draft this week to enlist 300, 000 troops to fight within Ukraine, the Kremlin appears to be trying to regain the upper hand in the particular grinding conflict given that its Feb twenty-four invasion.
Putin maintains Russia is definitely carrying out a “special army operation” to demilitarise Ukraine, rid it of dangerous nationalists and defend Russian federation from transatlantic alliance NATO.
Moscow maintains that the referendums offer an opportunity for people in the region to express their particular view.