NATO chief warns other neighbours may be next if Russia wins ongoing war in Ukraine

As war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned  world will be a "more dangerous place" if Russian President Vlimir Putin succeeds in his ambitions in Ukraine. Referring to Western military alliance, Stoltenberg reiterated that West has joint task of both fighting against Russian invasion and supporting Ukraine in this war. Stressing that NATO has a moral responsibility to support Ukraine and its people who are facing Russian aggression, he said: "If Russia wins this war, he (Putin) will have confirmation that violence works. And n or neighbouring countries may be next."

"We are seeing acts of war, attacks on civilians, and destruction not seen since World War II," Stoltenberg said, according to a NATO release. "We cannot be indifferent to this," he said while dressing a youth camp in Utoya, Norway.

"President Putin has attacked an entire innocent country and its people with military force to achieve his political goals. What he is doing is challenging world order we believe in. where all countries, large and small, can choose ir path. He does not accept sovereignty of or countries," said NATO Chief.

Invasion of Ukraine an attack on world order: Stoltenberg

Slamming Putin over his decision to attack Ukraine, NATO chief stated that this invasion of Ukraine is "also an attack on our values and world order". He furr lambasted Russia for urging NATO to remove all military infrastructure from Ukraine borders and not mit more member states to bloc. He ded that Russia has achieved opposite as NATO is "stronger, more unified, more agile, and more decisive." 

dressing political event, Stoltenberg also spoke about preparedness of NATO. He said, since onset of war in Ukraine, "we have h around 40,000 soldiers under NATO command, mainly in east" backed by a significant number of aircraft and ships. A new initiative to strengn defence system of NATO was opted at Summit in Mrid in June. He said more than 300,000 forces are at high reiness across Alliance, and more prepositioned military equipment, primarily to defend eastern part of alliance.

Image: AP/ Representative