Stoltenberg: Russia seeks to “suspend” the fighting in Ukraine before launching a new offensive in the spring

“What we’re seeing now is that Russia is trying to impose a kind of pause in this war, at least for a little while, so that it can regroup and recover and recover and then try to launch a major, broader offensive next spring,” Stoltenberg said.

The Secretary-General of NATO added that NATO members continue to provide “unprecedented” weapons and support to Ukraine, despite fears that Western stocks may run out.

“Adding new systems is just as important as ensuring that systems or weapons we have already delivered work,” Stoltenberg noted.

He explained, “This means that they need a large amount of ammunition, spare parts and maintenance.”

The situation has stabilized on the front lines in Ukraine since Kyiv’s forces resoundingly liberated the city of Kherson and surrounding areas on the western bank of the Dnipro River last month.

The fiercest battles are currently centered around the town of Bakhmut (east), which Russian forces have been trying to control for months.

The United States expects fighting to continue at a “low pace” in the coming months as both sides seek to rebuild their forces.

Stoltenberg said he had “no other information” about alleged attacks by Ukrainian marches on air bases in Russia, after the Americans confirmed that they “did not allow or encourage” such attacks by Kyiv.

The Secretary-General considered that the conditions for a peaceful solution to the conflict “are not available because Russia has not shown any indication of its commitment to negotiations that respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”