How long will the Russia-Ukraine war last? NATO chief takes a guess

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been raging on for nearly four months with nearly no signs of coming to a halt. Moscow has made incremental gains in Ukraine, both in terms of territory and resources. 

Western countries have rolled out support for Ukraine so far and seem to be ready to do so for long. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said they were in it for the long haul.

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When asked about how long the Russian invasion of Ukraine could last, NATO’s Stoltenberg said that “we need to prepare for the fact that it could take years.”

“We must not cease to support Ukraine. Even if the costs are high, not only for military support, but also because of rising energy and food prices”, Stoltenberg told German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

Russia’s attempt to “denazify” Ukraine does not come cheap. Prior to the troop buildup on Ukrainian borders, Moscow had spent 233.7 billion rubles ($3.4 billion) on national defence in January 2022.

Russia spent a whopping 1.681 trillion rubles ($24.6 billion) on national defence from the beginning of January 2022 to the end of April 2022, a figure that dwarfs budget allocations for important sectors in the country, media reports reveal.

NATO’S Stoltenberg weighed the cost of war and Russia’s possible victory. He later concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s triumph would mean long-term costs for western alliances.

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The United States made similar predictions about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Avril Haines, the United States Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Forces Committee that the fight in Donbas might determine the duration of the war.

“We assess President Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine during which he still intends to achieve goals beyond the Donbas”, Haines told the congressional committee.