Putin Wants a Different Europe Where He Can Control Neighbors, Says Stoltenberg

“Putin wants a different Europe where he can control neighbors and decide what countries can do. We must be prepared for a long journey; it could take many years,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Ukrainian media reports that the duration of the new confrontation between Russia and the West is unpredictable, as changes can occur suddenly, as has happened throughout history.

The Secretary General noted that the Russia-Ukraine war was not unexpected. On the eve of February 24, 2022, he went to bed fully aware that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would begin within a few hours.

“Around four o’clock, I received a call from my chief of staff, who briefly said that they had started, meaning the invasion had begun. It was not a surprise, as we knew,” Stoltenberg added.

He also mentioned that the Russian Federation stated that “relations between the Russian Federation and the United States are now worse than ever,” but they do not believe that “this will stop; that would be too dangerous.”