NATO must prepare for ‘decades-long’ war with Russia – Stoltenberg — RT World News

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on the bloc's members to increase their defense production in anticipation of war “Confrontation” With Russia “This could last for decades.” Stoltenberg has repeatedly warned that Western economies are not prepared for such a conflict.

As the Ukrainian counter-offensive failed and Russian forces prepared to take Avdiivka's main stronghold in Donbass, media reports for weeks highlighted growing shortages in food supplies. men And Ammo Facing Kyiv. Amid warnings from “Cascading collapse along the front” Stoltenberg told a German newspaper the world A newspaper said that NATO members should increase arms production to meet Ukrainian demand.

“We need to restore and expand our industrial base more quickly so that we can increase supplies to Ukraine and replenish our stocks. This means shifting from slow production in times of peace to rapid production, as is necessary in conflicts. He said.

NATO recently signed contracts worth $1.2 billion to produce about 220,000 155 mm artillery shells, bringing the amount the bloc has spent on ammunition deals in the past six months to more than $10 billion. However, the final contracts will not be fulfilled until the end of 2025, and previous ammunition pledges to Ukraine – such as the 1 million artillery shells promised by the EU – have expired. Not fulfilled. Meanwhile, US stockpiles have been depleted by Washington's efforts to arm both Ukraine and Israel, and the White House's promised $61 billion military aid package remains stalled in Congress.

He added: “NATO is not looking for war with Russia. But we must prepare ourselves for a confrontation that may last decades.” Stoltenberg told Die Welt newspaper. “if [Russian President Vladimir] “If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries.”

Stoltenberg is one of several Western political and military leaders who have predicted an imminent Russian attack on the bloc. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, Swedish General Mikael Biden, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, and British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps have said in recent weeks that such a conflict could break out in less than three years.

Aside from the fact that attacking NATO territory would bring Russia into a war with the entire alliance, Russian officials have repeatedly stressed that Moscow has no geopolitical, economic or military interests in Poland or the Baltics.

“It is absolutely out of the question.” Putin told American journalist Tucker Carlson earlier this week. “You don't have to be any kind of analyst. Getting involved in some kind of world war goes against common sense. A world war will push all of humanity to the brink of destruction. Obviously.”

Putin claimed that Western leaders do as well “They are trying to intimidate their population with a fake Russian threat.” He said these expectations “These are just horror stories of people on the street extorting additional money from American taxpayers and European taxpayers.” To maintain the flow of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.