On Wednesday (November 9, 2022), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg congratulated British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his country’s key role in the organization and for the strong support it provides to Ukraine.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street after talks with the prime minister, Stoltenberg thanked the UK for leading the multinational NATO battle group it is providing in Estonia and for deploying aircraft and ships on NATO patrols. He also welcomed the strong support Britain is giving Ukraine, indicating that the country has notably trained almost 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers in recent years.
The Secretary-General reiterated the importance of continuing to support Ukraine. “Not only would a victory for President Putin be a disaster for Ukrainians, but such a scenario would also make us more vulnerable, as the Russian president and other authoritarian leaders could conclude that they can achieve their goals by resorting to brute force without to be concerned.”
Asked about Russia’s announcement of its withdrawal from Kherson, the secretary-general said: “We have noted this information, but we are waiting to see what will really happen on the ground”. And to add: “It is encouraging to see that the Ukrainian forces, fighting bravely, manage to liberate more territory. The victories they achieve and the progress they make are credited to the brave Ukrainian soldiers, but the support they receive from the UK and other NATO allies is also essential.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Stoltenberg had met in London with Foreign Minister James Cleverly. He had also joined Defense Secretary Ben Wallace at the Lydd military camp, where British, Canadian and Lithuanian soldiers are training Ukrainian soldiers. The Secretary-General also met with Ukrainian soldiers and praised their dedication and bravery in continuing to repel Russian troops in the brutal war of aggression launched by Moscow in the absence of any provocation.
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