NATO Secretary General held a press-conference previewing the extraordinary Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government. Situation in Ukraine was the main topic in his speech.

“President Putin’s invasion is brutal. And the human suffering is horrifying and painful to witness. We are determined to do all we can to support Ukraine. But we have a responsibility to ensure that the war does not escalate beyond Ukraine, and become a conflict between NATO and Russia. This would cause even more death and even more destruction.

I also expect we will agree to step up tailored support for other partners at risk from Russian pressure. Including Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Working together, with the European Union, we must help them to uphold their sovereignty, and their right to make independent decisions. We face a fundamentally changed security environment. Where authoritarian powers are increasingly prepared to use force to get their way.

I believe it will be an important summit tomorrow, an extraordinary NATO summit in an extraordinary security situation where we face the biggest security threat for generations, since actually the end of the Second World War.

And therefore I believe this is an important meeting and I’m confident that Allies will agree on important issues, including on the importance of providing support to Ukraine, strengthening our own deterrence and defence, and also provide support to other partners which are now under pressure from Russia, for instance Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. And I expect all Allies to agree, all 30”, - said Jens Stoltenberg.