Russia's victory in conflict in Ukraine would be NATO’s defeat — Stoltenberg

Russia’s victory in the conflict in Ukraine would be a defeat for NATO, the alliance must not allow such an outcome, the organization’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday at a press conference ahead of the meetings of NATO Defence Ministers on October 12-13 in Brussels.

"It is important for all of us, that Ukraine wins the battle. Because if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wins, that is not only a big defeat for Ukrainians, but it will be a defeat and dangerous for all of us, because it will make the world more dangerous and it will make us more vulnerable for further Russian aggression," he said.

Stoltenberg stressed that NATO must be prepared for a long war in Ukraine. "I think that we just have to be prepared for the long haul (to provide support to Ukraine - TASS)," he added.