"War is not going according to Putin's plan": NATO Secretary General comments on Russian leader's latest announcement 

He said this in his interview for Reuters.

He said that the mobilization would lead to an escalation of the conflict, but it shows that Putin miscalculated, hoping for a quick victory.

"President Putin's speech shows that the war is not going according to his plan. He made a big mistake," Stoltenberg said.

He also added that "more troops will lead to an escalation of the conflict. It will mean more suffering and more deaths - deaths of both Ukrainians and Russians."

According to him, NATO will remain calm and "will not engage in the same dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric as President Putin."  He also emphasized that the Alliance has provided unprecedented assistance to Ukraine and now NATO must replenish its own stockpiles of weapons and ammunition.

Stoltenberg noted that although Russian troops were poorly equipped and lacked proper command, the conflict will not end until Russia itself recognizes the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

"The only way to end this war is to prove that Putin will not win on the battlefield. When he realizes this, he will have to sit down and negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine," the Secretary General said.