NATO secretary-general: Russia is likely to step up its offensive against Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that Allies agree that his planes should not fly in Ukraine's airspace and that NATO troops should not be present in Ukraine during the war with Russia.

Speaking in Brussels on March 4 after meeting with NATO foreign ministers, Stoltenberg reiterated his call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his unprovoked war against Ukraine "immediately and unconditionally."

Stoltenberg acknowledged that Russia is likely to step up its offensive against Ukraine, which began on February 24, and that the coming days "are likely to be worse."

Note

The day before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that the key topic he intended to raise at the meeting with NATO members on March 4 would be the issue of a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

On March 3, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western partners to announce a deadline for closing the skies for Russian combat aircraft.

Russia is actively using combat aircraft in the war. Although the Ukrainian Air Force and Air Force are trying to neutralize enemy planes, having shot down (according to preliminary information from the General Staff) more than 30 Russian planes and 30 helicopters, Russian aircraft continue to launch missile and bomb strikes on Ukrainian cities, killing civilians.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian leadership calls on NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. So far, the alliance is not ready to do that.