NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg spoke out about the war in Ukraine which is about to enter its fifth month next week. Stoltenberg said that he thinks the conflict will go on for years.

“We must prepare for the fact that it could take years. We must not let up in supporting Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said during an interview with German newspaper Bild.

He added: “Even if the costs are high, not only for military support, but also because of rising energy and food prices. But: That is no comparison to the price that the Ukrainians have to pay every day with many lives.”

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Stoltenberg said that despite the war costing so much, letting Russian President Vladimir Putin win would have been even worse. 

In his statement, Stoltenberg issued his support once again and urged other nations to help the Ukrainian militarily so that it will have a chance at winning the war.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and with the help of western nations, Ukraine has been able to defend some of its land.

However, thousands of citizens have lost their lives since with millions displaced.

In an op-ed in the Sunday Times, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on Western allies not to stop their support of Ukraine because a win from Russia would be “the greatest victory for aggression in Europe since the Second World War.”

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“We know Putin would not stop at dismembering Ukraine. Only last week, he compared himself to Peter the Great and arrogated to Russia an eternal right to ‘take back’ any territory ever inhabited by ‘Slavs,’ a doctrine that would permit the conquest of vast expanses of Europe, including NATO allies,” Johnson wrote. 

Last week, the US announced a new military aid package to help Ukraine fight Russia. The package would including Harpoon anti-ship launchers for the first time, and more ammunition for high-tech, medium-range rocket launchers.