Ukraine must get long-term support: NATO chief

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Western nations must be ready to support Ukraine over the long term as long as Russia doesn't show any signs of giving up, NATO's Security-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg revealed to the BBC that military support would ensure the survival of Ukraine and force Russia to "sit down and negotiate an end to the war."

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of using Ukraine to destroy his country.

Stoltenberg told Radio 4's World at One program that Russia's partial mobilization program, ordered in September, showed Moscow had "no desire to end the war at present." 

"The Ukrainian forces had the momentum for several months, but we also know that Russia has mobilized many more forces, many of them are now training," he said, adding that everything indicates that Russia is prepared to continue the war.

Putin: Historical truth on the side of Russia

Earlier, Putin said on December 31 that the past year was a year of pivotal events, laying the foundation for the future and the independence that Russia is fighting for, to protect its people in its historical territories.

"This has been a year of truly fateful events; they have become the frontier that lays the foundation for our common future, our true independence. This is what we are fighting for today, protecting our people in our own historical territories in the new regions of the Russian Federation, building and creating together," Putin indicated in his New Year's address to Russians.

The Russian President assured Russians that the "historical" truth is on the side of Moscow.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian President considered that the West is using the people of Ukraine to divide and weaken Russia, stressing that this will never happen.

"[Western countries] are cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia. We have never allowed and will not allow anyone to do this," Putin said in his New Year's address.

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