NATO Chief Predicts Protracted 'War Of Attrition' In Ukraine

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) The situation in Ukraine is turning into a protracted "war of attrition," and NATO allies should prepare to extend their support to Ukraine for a longer period, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

"This war (in Ukraine) can last for a long time and we have to be prepared. No one can say, for how long, but we must be ready for a long time period. Therefore, I urge (NATO) allies to provide support, and also be ready to do it for a long time, and deal with the supply (of weapons), because this is more and more a war of attrition," Stoltenberg said in an interview with the Greek portal Capital.gr.

Increasing heavy arms deliveries to Ukraine by the US and its NATO allies can lead to a higher risk of direct involvement in the conflict, Xavier Moreau, an arms expert and geopolitical analyst from the French think tank Stratpol, told Sputnik earlier in May.

On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them against intensifying attacks from Ukrainian troops. In response, the United States and its allies implemented comprehensive sanctions against Russia. Additionally, the West has also been supplying Kiev with lethal weapons worth billions of Dollars.