A withdrawal of Russian forces from Kherson, the capital of a region in southern Ukraine, “would be a new victory” for kyiv, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Rome on Thursday.
“We have taken note of the Russian announcement of a withdrawal from Kherson. We have to see how the situation on the ground develops in the coming days.”Stoltenberg said after a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“But what is clear is that Russia is under great pressure and if they leave Kherson, it would be another victory for Ukraine”added the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance.
“European security is in question, (Russian) President Vladimir Putin is waging a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine”he said again.
“We saw how the Ukrainian armed forces were able to repel Russian forces and liberate territories. These successes belong to the brave and courageous Ukrainian soldiers. At the same time, the unprecedented support provided by NATO allies, including Italy, is making a difference on the battlefield every day and remains vital to Ukraine’s progress.”said Stoltenberg.
“In a context where peace is not something we can take for granted (…) I reiterated in Stoltenberg that Italy strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine”for his part said Meloni.
“I consider as a priority the strengthening of the Alliance as a whole, with a strong pillar which must also be European, the objective being to make it even stronger and even more capable of responding to threats from all sides”she added.