Stoltenberg hopes there will no full-fledged war between NATO and Russia  

The head of NATO Jens Stoltenberg has expressed worry that the war in Ukraine could get out of control and become a war between Russia and NATO, according to an interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

“I feel very serious, and that it is a fateful time for Europe. If things go wrong, they can go horribly wrong,” Stoltenberg said, adding that NATO works every day to prevent the war from escalating.

“It is a terrible war in Ukraine. It is also a war that can become a full-fledged war that spreads into a major war between NATO and Russia. We are working on that every day to avoid that,” he assured and pointed to the fact that NATO has increased its presence in the Alliance’s eastern flank.

Stoltenberg said Putin had misjudged Ukraine when he decided to start a full-scale invasion.

“He has believed that he can achieve what he wants through military force and a brutality we have not seen since World War II. They have deliberately hit civilians by cutting water supplies and attacking non-military targets. It is extremely brutal warfare,” NATO chief said.

He added that Putin will not be able to break Ukraine. “On the contrary, he is mobilizing even more support for Ukraine.”

At the same time, the Secretary General of the Alliance also warned that one should not underestimate the danger of the world's current situation.

“We are facing a test of whether freedom can stand up to authoritarian regimes. I understand those who think that food prices and electricity bills are too high. It is a painful price we in Europe pay. But there will be a much higher price to pay if our freedom is threatened by Putin winning Ukraine,” Stoltenberg stressed.