Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concerns over a potential Russian victory in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, stressing that such an outcome would pose the greatest risk to the US-led military alliance. Addressing the NATO leaders summit in Washington on Tuesday, Stoltenberg emphasized that the confrontation between Moscow and Kiev would reshape the global security system for decades to come.
Stating that a Russian win would “embolden” adversaries of the bloc such as Iran, North Korea, and China – all of whom support Russia and wish to see NATO fail – Stoltenberg urged member states to increase their aid to Kiev. While recognizing the historical significance of the Ukraine conflict, he chose not to mention the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO in the future.
Ukraine argues that its ongoing battle with Russia entitles it to fast-track its accession process into the military alliance. However, NATO’s leadership and member states have maintained that Ukraine will not be allowed to join while hostilities with Russia persist. Moscow has consistently pointed to Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership as one of the main reasons for initiating the conflict in 2022.
In response to Stoltenberg’s concerns, US President Joe Biden announced that Washington and other bloc members plan to provide Kiev with “dozens” of additional tactical air-defense missile systems in the coming months. The United States, Germany, and Romania will each donate a new Patriot battery, while the Netherlands and other partners will supply components needed to operate an additional Patriot battery. Italy has pledged to provide an additional SAMP-T system.
Despite Russia’s insistence that Western weapons deliveries will lead only to further escalation – ultimately failing to hinder the Russian military from achieving its objectives in the conflict – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow would pay “maximum attention” to whatever decisions are announced at the NATO summit. He reiterated Russia’s view that the bloc, which has repeatedly declared its intention to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield, is directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict on Ukraine’s side.