NATO stands ready to continue its support for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion for years to come and help Kyiv make the transition from Soviet-era weapons to modern Western weapons systems, Reuters quoted Jens as secretary general as saying. Stoltenberg.

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His remarks came amid a warning from the Kremlin that Western arms supplies to Ukraine, including heavy weapons, pose a threat to the European continent's security and "provoke instability".

Kremlin: Arms supplies to Ukraine pose a threat to European security

"We need to be prepared for the long term," Stoltenberg said at a youth summit in Brussels.

"It is quite possible that this war will drag on for months and years," he added.

The secretary general said the West would continue to exert maximum pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Ukraine's invasion through sanctions and economic as well as military aid to Kyiv.

"NATO allies are preparing to provide long-term support and also help Ukraine make the transition from old Soviet-era weapons to more modern weapons and NATO-standard systems, which will require more training," he said. Stoltenberg.

Ukraine's calls for heavy weapons have intensified since Moscow shifted the focus of its offensive to Donbass, Ukraine's eastern region with a generally flat, open terrain that is considered more suitable for tank battles than areas in the northern part of the country around Kyiv, where most of the fighting took place at the beginning of the conflict, BTA notes.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Jens Stoltenberg