We knew Ukraine war would happen, could have done more to prevent it: Nato chief

Sept. 14, 2024, 9:08 a.m.

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The departing head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg, stated that the Western military alliance was aware of Russia's intentions to invade Ukraine.

“I wasn’t surprised because we knew from the intelligence services what was going to happen. But seeing it actually happen still shocked me. I realized that this was a turning point in our history: there is a Europe before that day and another Europe after that day,” Nato’s Secretary General told German weekly newspaper FAZ in an interview released on Saturday (September 14).

Advertisement Stoltenberg stated that during his decade at the helm of NATO, the day Russia invaded Ukraine—February 24, 2022—was the most challenging for him.

Nato could have done more

He also remarked that Nato could have provided more support in arming Ukraine to prevent Russia's invasion in 2022.

Stoltenberg, who has also served as the former prime minister of Norway, highlighted Nato's reluctance to furnish weapons that Kyiv had requested prior to the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We struggled over whether to supply sniper rifles. For a long time, the US did not want to supply anti-tank missiles to Ukraine so as not to provoke Russia. In the end, they did supply some, but we could all have done more.”

Overall, Stoltenberg noted that Nato’s training and equipment were quite limited. He said that if Ukraine had been militarily stronger, the threshold for Russia to attack could have been higher.

Following the commencement of hostilities, Kyiv, which is not a member of NATO, received various weapons from its allies.

“Now we are arming Ukraine for war, but back then we could have armed Ukraine to prevent war,” Stoltenberg said.

Negotiation only way to end war

He mentioned in the interview that the conflict in Ukraine can only be resolved through talks.

Advertisement "For this war to end, dialogue with Russia will have to be resumed at some point. However, it must be grounded in Ukrainian strength," he stated.

Stoltenberg will relinquish his position as head of Nato in October, a role he has held since 2014. In June, the organisation announced Dutch former prime minister Mark Rutte as its next leader.