NATO chief Stoltenberg warns that Ukraine will 'cease to exist' without support

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Ukraine would ‘cease to exist’ if its Western allies did not ramp up their support to the war-stricken country. In an interview with German news outlet Funke Mediengruppe, the NATO chief urged both Ukraine and its Western allies to “prepare for a long war”. During the interview, Stoltenberg made it clear that Ukraine would eventually join the alliance since it has “moved closer to NATO” ever since the war commenced in 2022. He also increased pressure on Germany to increase its defence spending amid brewing tensions in the continent of Europe. 

“Most wars last longer than expected when they first begin. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves for a long war in Ukraine,” the NATO chief told the German news outlet in an interview which was published on Sunday. “We are all wishing for a quick peace. But at the same time, we must recognise: if President Zelensky and the Ukrainians stop fighting, their country will no longer exist,” he added. Stoltenberg insisted that peace can be only ensured after Russia lays down its weapons and backs off. “If President Putin and Russia lay down their weapons, we will have peace,” Stoltenberg remarked. 

The NATO chief also gave clarity on the dynamics between Ukraine and the international defence alliance. He made it clear that the conflict-stricken country would eventually join NATO. “There is no doubt that Ukraine will eventually be in NATO,” he averred. Stoltenberg noted that Kyiv has “moved closer” to the regional body in a short period, adding that the summit in Vilnius in July has solidified ties between the two parties. In the July summit, the international bloc announced the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Council. 

Stoltenberg pushes Germany to increase its defence spending

In the same interview, the NATO chief insisted that Germany should increase its defence spending. Stoltenberg recalled that at the Vilnius summit, it was decided that the two per cent of gross domestic product for military spending was “the minimum”. However, the Federal Republic has “still not achieved" the goal. "It makes a huge difference for the alliance whether Europe's largest country adheres to this requirement or not," said the NATO Secretary General. "Two per cent of a large cake is more than two per cent of a small cake,” he added. Stoltenberg noted how the Adenauer and Brandt governments increased Germany’s defence spending by three to four per cent of economic output, during the Cold War. "In the Cold War, when Konrad Adenauer or Willy Brandt ruled, defence spending was three to four per cent of economic output," Stoltenberg told the German news outlet. "We did it then, and we have to do it again today,” he remarked.