Harsh Winter Awaits for Those Helping Ukraine: NATO Secretary General's Warning

The battles in Ukraine are "entering a critical phase" and "it will be harsh there" as winter approaches, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an article for the Financial Times.

The "unity and solidarity" of allies assisting Kyiv will be "severely tested" as "families and businesses will feel the sharp rise in energy prices and the cost of living," he noted.

Stoltenberg warned of a "difficult six months" ahead, with threats of power outages or electricity cuts, and "possibly even civil unrest." At the same time, he is confident that NATO countries must remain committed to helping Ukraine, and be willing to pay the price, which if necessary, may be much higher, for the course they have taken.

“We have a moral responsibility to support this independent democracy in the heart of Europe. The price we pay for supporting Ukraine is also beneficial to our own security,” the NATO Secretary General stated.

He mentioned that NATO is preparing "more than a dozen new projects to help Ukraine survive the winter" and will continue to assist in strengthening its defense capabilities "in the long term" from Soviet-era weapons to NATO standards.

“NATO is part of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which I will meet again this week with the aim of sending a clear message that we must continue to strengthen the assistance that Ukraine needs,” Stoltenberg declared.

The NATO Secretary General also highlighted the important role of sanctions in supporting Ukraine, which will "impact the Russian economy and will bite even harder over time, considering the brain drain and capital flight from the Russian elite, travel bans, and asset freezes."