David Van Weel, the Assistant Secretary General of NATO, in a recent interview with Japan’s “Asahi” newspaper, highlighted the increasing difficulty NATO countries face in continuing their support for Kyiv as the conflict in Ukraine prolongs.
Van Weel emphasized the critical nature of this support, not just for Ukraine’s freedom, but also for global security.
“As the war drags on, providing assistance becomes more challenging,” Van Weel stated. He pointed out that the situation is far tougher for Ukrainian fighters, who are directly engaged in the conflict, compared to NATO members who are assisting with weapons and financial aid. Despite the difficulties, Van Weel insisted on the necessity to keep supporting Ukraine under all circumstances.
Van Weel also affirmed that NATO countries are generally offering “sufficient assistance to Ukraine.” This statement comes amidst tensions over Russia’s memo to NATO countries regarding weapon supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any weapon shipments to Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO countries of “playing with fire” by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that Western arms supplies to Ukraine are hindering the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have negative effects.
Lavrov further accused the United States and NATO of direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict, including providing weapons and training personnel in Britain, Germany, Italy, and other countries.
