NATO chief: US has to ensure Ukraine wins if it wants to deal with China

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that his “main task” this week is to mobilize more support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

“If the United States is concerned about China and wants to pivot towards Asia, then you have to ensure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin doesn’t win in Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think-tank.

The NATO chief argued that such a scenario means “the second biggest army in Europe (Ukraine) on our side.”

“We’ll then have a weakened Russian army and also a Europe really stepping up for defense spending. That will make it easier for you to focus also on China,” he added.

He reiterated his support for Ukraine’s NATO membership in the future.

“Ukraine will become a member but I will say it's even more important that we actually charted the way for how to achieve that goal. So, Ukraine is closer to NATO membership now than ever before,” he said.