If we fail Ukraine, it will be much harder to maintain peace in Europe – Latvian president

Latvia's President Edgars Rinkēvičs said that Russia is planning a long war in Ukraine and defined importance to actually fight for international peace in his interview with AP.

He said "it is important to actually fight for international peace, and peace in Europe, because if we stop Russia in Ukraine, then Russia is not going to be able to challenge other countries."

The Latvian President noted that it is important for the West to support both Ukraine and Israel against attacks on common values and the international order.

Rinkēvičs added that it is in NATO's security interests "to treat both cases equally."

"I do believe also that it will be much easier for us to keep peace in Europe if Ukraine succeeds rather than we let Ukraine down, or for that matter, also to let the situation in the Middle East to get out of control," the Latvian president added.

Rinkēvičs said Ukrainian soldiers were fighting "in a very brave way" and that the West has "not provided as much [weapons] as we should have", meaning they have an obligation to respond to President Volodymyr Zelensky's calls for more.

He said Russia was mobilising its economy, resources and military equipment "for a very long war". Moscow wants to "strangle" Ukraine after the Russians realised that they could not win the war quickly, he said, predicting that the occupiers will repeat their attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the coming months, as it was the case last winter.

Rinkēvičs said the EU and NATO should prepare for a prolonged war in Ukraine, AP reports.

If the world sees that Europe and the United States are not able to support Ukraine, the Latvian president noted, "then I think that is going to be increasing pressure on Israel".

The AFU Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, believes that the war is entering a new stage: "positional" struggle with static and exhausting battles. To win it, Ukraine requests high technology.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expects the Ukrainian forces to make progress in the fight against the Russian occupiers, but warns that "we must prepare for a long road ahead."