NATO Chief on Ukraine's counteroffensive: Ukrainian army “will liberate even more land”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he is confident in Ukraine's upcoming counteroffensive.
This is expected after Kyiv's international supporters gather in Germany to discuss beefing up weapons deliveries for Ukraine, Radio Liberty reports.
"I'm confident that they will now be in a position to be able to liberate even more land," Stoltenberg told journalists on April 21 on the sidelines of the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
One of the main issues during the meeting has been accounting for "all the different capabilities, systems, supplies that the Ukrainians need to be able to retake more land," said Stoltenberg.
The NATO chief noted that Germany and the United States have delivered multiple Patriot air-defense batteries, which he said are "operational in Ukraine." He declined to provide other details or the exact number of Patriot systems that have been delivered.
Stoltenberg earlier reaffirmed the alliance's support for Ukraine's eventual membership, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reassured Kyiv of the allies' support "for as long as it takes."
He added the alliance's current focus is to ensure Ukraine prevails against Russia's unprovoked invasion and, once the war ends, that Ukraine has "the deterrence to prevent new attacks."
The Ramstein-11 defense summit took place on April 21.
The Pentagon previously announced the Abrams tanks would be delivered in the autumn, but Austin said the delivery had been expedited.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also made promises to Ukraine during the Ramstein meeting. German Leopard tanks damaged in the war are to be repaired in Poland from now on, he said. This will ensure their quick return to the front.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein consists of representatives from some 50 countries that are providing military aid to Ukraine.
Раніше президент України Володимир Зеленський закликав до ґрунтовних рішень , щоб виграти більше часу для миру та забезпечити захисників усім необхідним озброєнням.
