Russia-Ukraine War: Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, stated that Ukraine’s defeat in the ongoing war against Russia would make Europe vulnerable to Russian aggression. As Stoltenberg stated, Ukraine’s defeat would establish Russian dominance, which Putin can use anywhere, at his will.
He quoted the examples of the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, the annexure of Crimea in 2014, undermining Donbas in 2014 and the ongoing aggression in Ukraine to explain the misuse of force by the big power Russia.
As per Stoltenberg, the Russian victory will send out the message that the big powers can still decide what small neighbours can do, and this will make Europe even more vulnerable. Therefore, he reinstated Europe’s need and responsibility to support Ukraine in these tough times.
In Stoltenberg’s words- “ It is extremely important that we, as politicians, make sure that our countries provide support to Ukraine, but also substantial support for a long time. And that’s supposed to have a price. And partly the price, the sanctions are important, but also the military support, the humanitarian, the economic support that has a price. But the price for not supporting them is much higher.”
Further, he added that apart from being a moral issue, the support is more about a sovereign independent nation, with more than forty million people living in Europe, which is undergoing a brutal attack by the big power, Russia.
Moreover, after looking at what happened in Bucha, it becomes the responsibility of the neighbours and friends of Ukraine to have their back in these challenging times. And letting the Russian acts of brutality be awarded is the last thing Europe would want to happen.
Thus, the alternative price, that is, Russian victory, is much higher than the price Europe pays in the form of military and humanitarian support.The NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg concluded, saying, “The Price we pay is a price we can measure in currency, in money; the price Ukraine pays is measured in lives lost every day. So stop complaining, step up and provide full support.”
