The war in Ukraine could last “for years”, warned NATO’s head, according to an interview published Sunday by the German daily newspaper Bild.
“We must be prepared for this to last for years,” said Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. “We must not weaken in our support of Ukraine, even if the costs are high — not only in terms of military support but also because of rising energy and food prices.”
British PM Boris Johnson, who visited Kyiv on Friday, also spoke of a need to prepare for a long war. This meant ensuring “Ukraine receives weapons, equipment, ammunition and training more rapidly than the invader,” Johnson wrote in an opinion piece in London’s Sunday Times. “Time is the vital factor,” he wrote.
British defence officials said on Sunday. “Combat units from both sides are committed to intense combat in the Donbas and are likely experiencing variable morale,” Britain’s defence ministry said.
“Ukrainian forces have likely suffered desertions in recent weeks,” the assessment said, but added that “Russian morale highly likely remains especially troubled”. It said “cases of whole Russian units refusing orders and armed stand-offs between officers and their troops continue to occur”
