‘Speed will save lives’: Nato chief urges allies to boost military deliveries
Brussels, Feb 13 (EFE).- Nato’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg on Monday urged member nations to speed up the delivery of ammunition, fuel and equipment to Ukraine ahead of an expected new Russian offensive to coincide with the first anniversary of the war later this month.
“It is clear that we are in a race of logistics. Key capabilities like ammunition, fuel, and spare parts must reach Ukraine before Russia can seize the initiative on the battlefield,” Stoltenberg told a press conference on the eve of a two-day meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels.
“Speed will save lives,” the Nato chief added.
The two-day Nato meeting will be held after a gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, on Tuesday morning.
As the first anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches, Stoltenberg said (Russian) “President (Vladimir) Putin is not preparing for peace. He is launching new offensives. So we must continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs to win and to achieve a just and sustainable peace.”
With Russia deploying large numbers of troops to the front ahead of its expected offensive, Stoltenberg welcomed recent announcements by Nato allies of deliveries of new tanks and heavy weaponry as well as training for Ukrainian soldiers.
“And I look forward to further deliveries. Our message is clear. Nato stands with Ukraine. For as long as it takes,” he added.
At the Nato meeting, allied ministers will also address ways to boost their industrial defense capacity, as “the war in Ukraine is consuming an enormous amount of munitions, and depleting allied stockpiles,” Stoltenberg said.
“The current rate of Ukraine’s ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current rate of production, which “puts our defense industries under strain,” the Nato chief warned, calling on members of the alliance to “ramp up production and invest in our production capacity.”
“The good news is that several Allies, including the United States and France, have already signed new multi-year contracts with the defense industry. I look forward to further progress,” Stoltenberg said. EFE
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