Officials assert that Western military aid has made a decisive difference in the war

NATO pledges to continue supporting Ukraine no matter how long it takes

A Ukrainian soldier helps a wounded colleague in Kharkiv.

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Western officials said that Western military aid made a decisive difference to Ukraine's stance during its war against Russia, and that they would support Kyiv no matter how long it takes, during a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Committee in the Estonian capital Tallinn.

"The ammunition, equipment, and training operations provided by allies and other countries make a real difference on the battlefield," said Admiral Rob Power, head of the NATO Military Committee, referring to recent Ukrainian successes in repelling the advance of Russian forces.

Speaking to participants in the meeting in Tallinn, Bauer said, "Ukraine's success on the battlefield has fundamentally changed modern warfare."

"The Ukrainians have been very creative in using the weapons systems they've got, they've used them sometimes in a way we don't normally do," he said.

The meeting of the NATO Military Committee took place at a time when Ukraine was regaining its territory through the counter-attack launched by its army in the east of the country, which led to the repulsion of the advance of Russian forces.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kallas stated that Western military aid to Ukraine was crucial in its fight against Russia, and the political will to continue sending it should not falter.

“The ongoing counter-offensive proves that military aid is bringing Ukraine closer to victory and peace,” Kallas said in her speech at the meeting.

Our focus should be more on increasing our aid and arms shipments to fend off Russian aggression as soon as possible.”

And she continued, "The operational defeat of Russia in Kharkiv is a sign of the strength and cunning of the Ukrainians, and shows the effectiveness of Western aid and advice."

She noted that Estonia has contributed up to 0.8% of its economic production to support Ukraine, and will maintain this no matter how long it takes.

Estonian Chief of Staff Martin Heerem called on his colleagues from the other 29 NATO countries to continue helping Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the NATO Military Committee is composed of the Chiefs of Staff of the 30 NATO countries and advises the North Atlantic Council, the highest political entity in NATO, on military matters.

In addition, the Czech presidency of the European Union called for the establishment of an international war crimes tribunal, after hundreds of bodies were found in mass graves near the city of Izyum in eastern Ukraine, after they were recaptured from Russian forces.

"In the twenty-first century, such heinous attacks on the civilian population are unimaginable," said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lebavsky, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

We must not ignore it.

We demand the punishment of all war criminals, and I call for the establishment of a special international court as soon as possible.”

Last Friday, the Ukrainian authorities announced that 450 bodies of civilians bearing signs of violent death and torture had been found buried in a forest on the outskirts of Izyum in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine.

An AFP reporter at the scene was able to see the body of at least one, handcuffed by a rope.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was new evidence of torture with bodies buried there.

"More than 10 torture chambers were found in various liberated cities and towns in the Kharkiv region," he added.

In addition, the British military said, yesterday, that Russia likely expanded the range of sites it prepared to strike in Ukraine, in a move aimed at weakening the morale of the people and government of Ukraine.

Britain's Ministry of Defense said Russia had increased targeting of civilian infrastructure in the past seven days, even in areas it did not consider to have immediate military impact.

She noted that the category of these missions included strikes against the electricity grid and a dam on the Inholets River in the Kryvyi Rih region.

On the other hand, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that China and Russia will hold the 17th round of strategic security consultations between the two countries in Beijing.

Bloomberg News Agency quoted a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement as saying that Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev will participate in the consultations at the invitation of Senior Foreign Policy Official Yang Jiechi and member of the Politburo of China's ruling party Guo Shengcun.

• The presidency of the European Union calls for a court over "war crimes" in Ukraine's Isyum.

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