U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday praised the Kyiv government’s possibilities of taking the lead against Russian forces on the battlefield, nearly a year after Russia invaded Ukraine.
After a meeting with NATO defence ministers in Brussels, Austin told reporters, “I think they’ll have a fairly good chance of making a pretty major difference on the battlefield and establishing the initiative.” And future ability to capitalise on such initiative.
According to him, NATO members are bent on educating troops on the use of the weapons as they deliver them to Ukraine. We’re “laser-focused” on delivering more than just a platform, he said.
Austin criticised Vladimir Putin and Moscow’s performance on the battlefield, writing on Twitter that “almost a year after Putin’s irresponsible war of choice…things haven’t gone the way that the Kremlin planned.” NATO is stronger and more unified than ever.
The European Union suggested further Russian sanctions on Wednesday, as NATO military ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss increasing defence spending and arms manufacturing as they commit to continuing support for Ukrainian forces as the war near its year anniversary on February 24.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated that the sanctions package includes a prohibition on shipments of industrial goods and tech products to Russia and that doing so will prevent the Russian military from obtaining the parts they require for their missile systems.
In reaction to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ provision of Shahed drones that Russian forces have used to attack Ukrainian infrastructure locations, sanctions are being proposed against the organisation.
READ ALSO: Turkey’s message to other countries
Russian propagandists and military leaders are the targets of another article.
Putin is “waging war in the public space with an army of propagandists and misinformation networks,” according to von der Leyen, who also said that they are “spreading toxic lies to polarise our society.”
At the beginning of the second of two days of defence ministerial discussions, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that allies would look into methods to improve defence industrial capabilities.
To continue its war against Russian soldiers, Ukraine needs more ammunition, and partners must fulfil their commitments to deliver their promised tanks and other heavy machinery, according to Stoltenberg.
The United Nations’ office for humanitarian affairs and refugee agency jointly launched an appeal for $5.6 billion on Tuesday to aid individuals impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On February 14, 2023, a woman receives food from neighbourhood volunteers in Chasiv Yar.
The organisations said that the money was required to support Ukrainian refugees in ten host countries as well as to offer food, medical care, and other relief to individuals living in Ukraine.
U.N. humanitarian director Martin Griffiths said in a statement that “almost a year on, the war continues to produce death, destruction, and displacement on a daily, and on a staggering scale.”
Some material in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
