Putin's aggression in Ukraine is biggest security crisis in Europe since World War II - Stoltenberg

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on February 15 in Brussels during a speech preceding the second day of the meeting of NATO defense ministers, Ukrinform reports.

NATO Secretary General said that Putin's aggressive war in Ukraine is the biggest security crisis in Europe since World War II. NATO Allies continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine, providing unprecedented assistance. At the same time, NATO is strengthening its deterrence and defense.

According to Stoltenberg, today NATO officials will adopt updated defense planning guidelines that will be a key driver for the Alliance's change and development over the next few years. The main goal of this transformation will be to ensure a robust deterrence and defense system for all Allies.

“We have decided to establish a new coordination cell at NATO headquarters, to map our vulnerabilities, and engage with industry. This will support our efforts to prevent and counter threats to critical infrastructure, including undersea cables and pipelines. All of this work requires continued investment in our defense. So Ministers will discuss ways to maintain and step up defense spending across the Alliance," the NATO Secretary General emphasized.

• Prior to the Ramstein meeting, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin promised Ukraine assistance in a counteroffensive in the spring. He also listed the countries that are preparing to provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 main battle tanks or have made a commitment to do so. 

• At a press conference following the meeting, Austin emphasized that the allies are working to ensure that Ukraine has everything it needs for its counteroffensive and that it is effective. However, he noted that he was "not ready to make any announcement at this time" on the issue of aircraft.

• In his turn, at a briefing after the meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in the Ramstein format, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said that Russia has moved to a war of attrition. It suffers a lot of losses, and its team spirit is extremely low, but Russia relies on numbers. But, according to him, Russia has already lost strategically, operationally, and tactically.