“The priority, the urgency, is to provide the Ukrainians with the armaments they have been promised to maintain their ability to defend themselves,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday before a meeting of the “group of Ramstein”, which brings together some fifty allied countries of Ukraine.
Almost a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “the situation on the front line, especially in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, remains extremely difficult”, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, February 14, during his evening video speech broadcast on social networks. “It is literally a battle for every meter of Ukrainian land”he added.
Franceinfo looks back on the highlights of the day on the war front in Ukraine.
NATO tries to speed up arms deliveries
NATO member states embarked on a logistical race on Tuesday to speed up their deliveries of arms and ammunition to Ukraine, amid threats of a new Russian offensive. “The priority, the urgency, is to provide the Ukrainians with the armaments they have been promised to maintain their ability to defend themselves”insisted the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, before a meeting of the “Ramstein group”, which brings together around fifty allied countries of Ukraine.
“We will provide the Ukrainians with the means to hold and advance during the spring counter-offensive”, assured the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. As reported by FinancialTimes (subscriber edition, in English)the latter explained that the United States and its allies were trying to bring as much anti-aircraft defense equipment as possible to Ukraine. “We know that Russia has important planes (…) and they have a lot left”said Lloyd Austin. Ukraine’s air defenses “were not enough and we will keep pushing until we get more because that threat exists.”
As for the issue of sending combat aircraft, they “are not the most pressing issue but a discussion is ongoing”assured his side Jens Stoltenberg.
Norway to donate eight Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
Norway will give Ukraine eight Leopard 2 battle tanks as well as ammunition, spare parts and up to four support vehicles, the Norwegian government announced on Tuesday, quantifying a contribution already announced.
Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, currently in Brussels for a meeting of donors, told media that the delivery would take place shortly. Norway will also contribute 250 million crowns (23 million euros) to the European Peace Facility, a fund set up by the European Union to finance military assistance provided to Ukraine. “The situation in Ukraine is approaching a critical phase and they are dependent on extensive and rapid Western assistance”the minister said in a statement.
Bakhmout far from conquered, according to the Russian group Wagner
The key city of Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine, the scene of fierce fighting, is not ready to fall despite recent Russian advances, said Tuesday the head of the paramilitary organization Wagner, Yevgeny Prigojine. “Bakhmut will not be taken tomorrow, because there is strong resistance, shelling, the meat grinder is in action”he said, according to his press service on Telegram.
“The adversary is constantly sending new reserves. Every day, between 300 and 500 fighters arrive in Bakhmout from everywhere, the artillery fire is increasing every day”he also claimed.
Moldova briefly closes its airspace
Moldova, a former Soviet republic neighboring Ukraine, closed its airspace on Tuesday for just over three hours, local media citing “for security reasons”.
This announcement comes at a time when the country, located between Ukraine and Romania, has decided to strengthen security measures in the face of alleged plans by Moscow to overthrow the pro-European power in place in Chisinau. According to the Moldovan PresidentMaia Sandu, the Kremlin is counting on “involvement of internal forces” such as the party of fugitive pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Sor, but also possible Russian, Belarusian, Serbian and Montenegrin nationals.
Moscow denied on Tuesday all “Moldova destabilization plan”. The assertions of the Moldovan leader “are absolutely unfounded and without evidence”assured the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Briton dies in Ukraine
A British national has died in Ukraine, the Foreign Office announced on Tuesday. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, a number of Britons have traveled to Ukraine to fight alongside Ukrainian soldiers or to take part in humanitarian operations. Eight of them died, recalls the BBC (article in English).