Situation on battlefield more difficult for Kiev than NATO expected — Stoltenberg

The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine is much more difficult than NATO expected, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted during a press conference in Brussels, acknowledging that Russia started an offensive operation on surrounding Avdeyevka.

"We need to realize that the situation on the battlefield is difficult. Russia does not plan for peace, it plans for more war. We also see that Russia has tried to launch offensive operation around, for instance, Avdeyevka. But the fact that the situation on the battlefield is difficult than hoped, that’s not an argument against support, it’s an argument in favor of more support to Ukraine. Because, again, we cannot allow President Putin to win," Stoltenberg said.

He also opined that Ukraine has "already made big victories" against Russia.