China News Service, February 17 (Xinhua) According to Agence France-Presse, on the 16th local time, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg said that NATO must be prepared for a long-term confrontation with Russia.
According to reports, Stoltenberg said in an interview that day that nearly a year has passed since the Ukrainian crisis occurred, and NATO must be prepared for a long-term confrontation with Russia.
"Putin wants a different Europe, a Europe that allows him to control his neighbors and influence other countries," Stoltenberg said. "We have to think about the long term, which may last for many years."
Data map: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
Stoltenberg said that he cannot predict how long the confrontation between Russia and the West will last, because variables may appear at any time.
"NATO will always be on the lookout for opportunities to improve the situation again. But given Russia's current behavior, this is unlikely to happen," Stoltenberg said.
According to reports, NATO members have not sent their own troops to Ukraine because some Western officials fear that a direct military conflict could turn the current situation into a "nuclear war" between the West and Russia.
Since the Ukraine crisis, NATO has significantly strengthened its military deployment on its eastern flank, and several European allies have increased defense spending. NATO led by the United States has also shipped tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine.