Most likely the war in Ukraine will end at some stage at the negotiating table, but the outcome of those negotiations are totally dependent on the situation on the battlefield, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday in Bucharest, adding that it will be a tragedy for Ukrainian people and the world if President Putin wins, according to Agerpres.

„What we have seen over the last month is that President Putin made a big strategic mistake. He underestimated the strength of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian political leadership. He thought that he was going to win, to take control over Kyiv within days. What you’re seeing is that first the Ukrainian Armed Forces are able to push the Russian forces out of the north, around Kyiv, then in the east around Kharkiv and then to liberate also territory in the south with Kherson. Our task is to provide support to Ukraine, because we know that the only way to achieve an outcome of this war which ensures that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent nation is to strengthen their position on the battlefield. Most likely the war will end at some stage at the negotiating table. But the outcome of those negotiations are totally dependent on the situation on the battlefield,” Stoltenberg said at the end of a meeting held at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace with President Klaus Iohannis.

He emphasised NATO’s support for Ukraine, because in the event of a victory for Vladimir Putin, the whole world will become a more dangerous place by the message to other authoritarian leaders.

„We support Ukraine also because we know that it will be a tragedy for Ukrainian people if President Putin wins, but it will also make the world more dangerous. Because then the message to President Putin and other authoritarian leaders will be that if they use military force violating international law as a President Putin is doing in Ukraine, they will achieve their goals. The role will be more difficult, dangerous, but also we will be more vulnerable. So therefore, we need to stay the course and not back down and continue to support Ukraine,” said Stoltenberg.

Agerpres