Both NATO and Boris Johnson said in separate warnings, that West must prepare for a long war in Ukraine, as Russian intensifies attack in the Eastern Ukraine
The Secretary General of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) – Jens Stoltenberg and Prime Minister of United Kingdom (U.K.) – Boris Johnson have warned, in separate warnings, that West must prepare for a long war in Ukraine, as Russian intensifies attack in the Eastern Ukraine.
Writing in “The Sunday Times” Newspaper, Johnson wrote, “Everything will depend on whether Ukraine can strengthen its ability to defend its soil faster than Russia can renew its capacity to attack. Our task is to enlist time on Ukraine’s side.”
Taking it to twitter, Johnson tweeted,
Putin’s grand imperial design for the total reconquest of Ukraine has been derailed.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 18, 2022
There are four vital steps we must take to strengthen the hand of our Ukrainian friends and ensure we finish this war on the terms that @ZelenskyyUa has laid out. https://t.co/O0m4sev478
He outlined a 4-point plan for constant funding and technical help, levels of which should be maintained for years to come and potentially be increased. He also stated that rising food prices and fuel prices should not lead to a rushed settlement in Ukraine. He accused Russia of putting up 25 million tonnes of corn and wheat, the entire annual consumption of all the least developed countries, in silos.
Speaking to German Newspaper – Bild am Sonntag, Stoltenberg said that the supply of state-of-the-art weaponry to Ukrainian troops would increase the chance of liberating the eastern Donbas region from Russian control.
Stoltenberg said, “We must prepare for the fact that it could take years. We must not let up in supporting Ukraine. Even if the costs are high, not only for military support, also because of rising energy and food prices.”
He further said, “Even if the costs are high, not only for military support, also because of rising energy and food prices.”
To the Northwest, several Russian missiles hit a gasworks in the Izyum District and Russian rockets rained down on a suburb of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, hitting a municipal building. Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited soldiers on the Southern front line in the Mykolaiv region, about 550 kms (340 miles) South of the capital, Kyiv.
Mykolaiv is a key target for Russia as it lies on the way to the strategic Black Sea Port of Odesa. It is about 100 kms (62 miles) Northwest of Kherson, which fell to Russia in the first weeks of the war. One of Russian President – Vladimir Putin’s main goals is to halt the Eastward expansion of the NATO military alliance and keep Moscow’s Southern neighbour outside of the West’s sphere of influence.
Separately, the United States (U.S.) President – Joe Biden’s Administration announced it will provide an additional U.S. $ 1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which includes shipments of additional howitzers, ammunition and coastal defense systems.
