NATO is preparing to support Kiev “over a long period of time”, for as long as the military conflict in Ukraine will last “for months and years,” the alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

Speaking to a youth summit in Brussels, Stoltenberg said that it is in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the military action as it was him “who started the war.” Therefore, Stoltenberg said, Western countries will continue “to put maximum pressure on President Putin to end the war” by sanctioning Moscow and by providing economic and military support to Ukraine.

“It’s a very unpredictable and fragile situation in Ukraine, but there is absolutely the possibility that this war will drag on and last for months and years,” NATO’s head explained.

Taking this fact into account, the alliance, and its allies “are preparing to provide support over a long period of time and also help Ukraine to transit or move from old Soviet era equipment to more modern NATO standard weapons and systems,” Stoltenberg said.

Source: Agencies