Brussels (VG) Arms, Arms and Weapons. These are Ukraine’s three demands on NATO when Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sat with NATO foreign ministers Thursday morning.
– We have a simple agenda. It has three points: weapons, weapons and weapons, Kuleba said when Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg greeted him at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The best way now is to provide us with funds to oppose Putin and fight Russian forces. We know how to fight. Without weapons, he added, it would mean great losses and suffering.
Kuliba also attacked some Western countries that at the beginning of the war made a distinction between offensive and defensive weapons. This distinction does not exist. He said Ukraine was waging a war of self-defense:
“Those who say they can only give us defensive weapons are acting hypocritical,” Kuleba said.
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Avoid escalation
Stoltenberg also called on the Allied countries to contribute more weapons and heavy equipment to Ukraine.
“We are working hard to prevent the conflict from escalating outside Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, he said there is now a window in a few weeks where Ukraine needs support. NATO expects Russia to withdraw its forces from the areas around Kyiv to regroup and resupply its forces. It is then expected that Russian forces would launch a major offensive on Donbass in the east, and in the south to secure agriculture between Crimea and Donbass.
Calling for tougher penalties
Foreign Minister Kuleba also reiterated Ukraine’s demand that the West toughen sanctions against Russia further.
Demand from Kyiv a complete ban on oil and gas from Russia:
– A week ago the penalties were much weaker, to put it mildly. Koleba said it’s now honed, but not 100 percent.
The EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said when he joined NATO that the EU’s fifth sanctions package would be ready by Friday.
Watch the full press conference:
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