Nato chief warns of worse suffering in Ukraine and Russian attacks elsewhere

 

 The suffering of the Ukrainian people at the hands of Russian forces is set to worsen in the coming days and the war is at risk of spreading elsewhere in Europe, Nato’s secretary general has said.

Following a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers, Jens Stoltenberg said the civilian death toll was mounting, with cities under siege and schools and homes being destroyed.

In the latest sobering assessment of the military situation, he told reporters that there was evidence of the use of cluster bombs and “other types of weapons which would be in violation of international law”.

Stoltenberg further warned that the risk of Russian military attacks or “subversion” was rising in Georgia, on whose territory Vladimir Putin’s troops are already present, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, where Bosnian Serbs have been threatening to break up the state with the Kremlin’s support.

“The days to come, are likely to be worse,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels. “With more death, more suffering, and more destruction as the Russian armed forces bring in heavier weaponry and continue their attacks across the country.”

He added: “The Kremlin’s ambition is to recreate a sphere of influence and deny other countries the right to choose their own path. So ministers discussed the need to support partners who may be at risk, including Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Russia’s aggression has created a new normal for our security, where fundamental principles are contested through the use of force and we face the threat of conflict for years to come.”

He said Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina may be at risk of “even more intervention, subversion and potentially even attacks by the Russian armed forces”.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed the Nato foreign ministers, including the British foreign secretary, Liz Truss, and the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken. (Sourse: The Guardian Newx)