Stoltenberg: Putin is using winter as a weapon in Ukraine

He has made these statements shortly before the meeting between the alliance's foreign ministers, this time held in Bucharest.

“We need to be prepared for more refugees that can enter Europe”, as a result of the “intentional Russian attacks on critical services such as heat, current, water and gas” within Ukrainian territory, Stoltenberg said.

According to him, the alliance will not give up support for Ukraine.

NATO foreign ministers meet in Bucharest to focus on increasing military aid to Ukraine, including air systems for protection and ammunition.

Diplomats are also considering the possibility of increasing aid for winter and medical equipment.

“NATO will continue helping Ukraine as much as it needs. We will not withdraw”, Stoltenberg said in a speech in Bucharest.

The main “Fokus is Ukraine's support and make sure that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not win”, he said.

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky has warned his citizens of new Russian attacks this week, which could be as serious as those last week, after leaving millions of people without heat, water and electricity.

Russia acknowledges it is attacking Ukrainian infrastructure, but claims it is not targeting civilians.

The “will be a terrible winter for Ukraine, so we have to increase support”, a senior European official has said.

Germany, which leads the presidency of the group of the world's seven most industrialized nations (G7), has organised a meeting of this group to examine ways Ukrainian energy infrastructure can be rebuilt.

The G7 group consists of the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

Washington is working with several American energy service providers and several European states to help regulate power stations damaged by Russian attacks, the US State Department has said.

However, an official, who spoke of the media, has not disclosed the exact kind of aid and the divided amount.

France and Germany have said they will send more than 100 power generators to Ukraine to help stabilise the power grid.

The reason Russia is continuing these war crimes is because it is losing on the battlefield”, a French official has said, referring to attacks on energy infrastructure.

The Challenge of Weaponsmaking

As for the military aspect, NATO continues to call on weapons factories to increase production, but one diplomat has pointed out that growing problems exist in terms of capacity.

We're doing our best to deliver, but real problems exist. Ukrainians know that. The American arms industry is also having problems”, this diplomat said.

Ministers of NATO member states will also discuss Ukraine's application for NATO membership.

However, they are only expected to confirm the alliance's open-door policy, as the membership of this country in the alliance seems far apart.

In 2008, at a NATO summit held in Bucharest, reconciliation has been achieved that Ukraine would once become part of the alliance.

However, leaders have not taken any concrete steps, like providing the action plan for Ukraine's membership, which would then help draw close to NATO.

Representatives of Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina will also attend the November 29th meeting, as the alliance aims to strengthen ties with these states, following concerns that Russia could destabilise states beyond Ukraine.

NATO ministers will also talk about strengthening society's sustainability, days after Stoltenberg has warned Western states not to create new dependence on China, while they tend to reduce the use of Russian gas as a source of energy.

The war in Ukraine has begun on February 24th.

Russian President Vladimir Putin considers the war “special military operation” to demilitarise Ukraine.

The West has responded to Russia, striking the economy of this state with severe sanctions.

As a result of the war, thousands have died, and millions of others have been displaced from their homes. / REL