Putin wants to make winter in Ukraine as rough as possible, says NATO leader in The Hague

Russia is bombing vital infrastructure in an attempt to make the winter as difficult as possible for the Ukrainian population by bombing vital infrastructure, cautioned NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to The Hague. "The coming months will be difficult. Putin's aim is to leave Ukraine cold and dark this winter. So we must stay the course,” Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg met with Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra and Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren about several topics, particularly the situation in Ukraine. After the meeting, he and the two ministers emphasized how important it is to continue to provide military and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

Last week, the Cabinet made an extra 110 million euros available to help Ukraine through the winter. That money is intended, in part, to repair damaged infrastructure and homes. Another 100 million euros was also committed to support an international fund for military spending in Ukraine. The Netherlands has allocated a total of 1.5 billion euros to help Ukraine withstand the Russian invasion to date.

Ukraine is in better shape than when the war started from a military standpoint, according to Ollongren. The recapture of the city of Kherson from the Russians is not only a "moral boost,” but also important for bringing the war to an end. "A strong position on the battlefield means a strong position at the negotiating table."

And the bargaining table is the place where most wars are ended, according to Stoltenberg. "They are paying now the highest price in terms of lost lives and damage to the country. So it is for Ukraine to decide what kind of terms are acceptable for them," he said.

"What happens around the table is fundamentally linked to the situation on the battlefield," Stoltenberg said. "So what we should do is support Ukraine and strengthen their hand so that at some stage there can be negotiations where Ukraine prevails as an independent sovereign nation in Europe."

The NATO chief also points out that despite recent military defeats, Russia still controls large parts of Ukraine. It also still has a large military force, which has "shown a willingness to take heavy casualties.”

Stoltenberg insists that only Russia can end the war by stopping fighting. "If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine tomorrow.”