NATO chief says Russia has no plan for peace, asks nations to prepare for long haul

As Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of considering a "peace plan" for cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, allies must prepare for a long haul to support Kyiv's forces militarily and financially, the NATO chief said Wednesday. Russia has "no immediate plans" to end this “war of attrition”, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg warned, adding that the Western allies must brace to supply lethal aid to Ukraine. 

NATO chief pushes for minimum spending target of 2% of GDP on defence

Stoltenberg asked the NATO members to agree on the "minimum" spending target of 2% of GDP on defence during the next summit of the alliance scheduled in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. He invoked the bloodiest battle ensuing in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine saying that Moscow wants to  “throw in thousands and thousands more troops, to take many casualties for minimal gains." 

“President Putin doesn’t plan for peace, he’s planning for more war,” Stoltenberg said, adding that Russia was now reaching out to the allies for military support. Putin is “reaching out to authoritarian regimes like Iran or North Korea, and others to try to get more weapons," the NATO chief stressed. 

NATO's Secretary General reiterated that the US, UK, France, Germany and other western allies of Europe shall bolster Ukraine's defences to counter Russian aggression. The supply of advanced weaponry and other munitions would be continuing for "a  long time," head of the NATO said at the briefing. “The need will continue to be there because this is a war of attrition; this is about the industrial capacity to sustain the support," he continued. He also raised an alarm, saying that the current rate of ammunition use in Ukraine was much higher than the production rate of the member states.

Kyiv's forces use 4,000 to 7,000 artillery shells a day while Russia uses 20,000. Such fast-paced use of shells was surpassing the manufacturing, said the NATO chief.

Stoltenberg, earlier warned that NATO detected indications that Russia has approached China for lethal aid. There are signs that Moscow has approached its steadfast ally Beijing for military aid and that it is considered by Chinese authorities, according to NATO's Secretary General. Chinese President, Xi Jinping, also made a rare Russia visit to meet with President Vladimir Putin, his first since the Ukraine war began.