NATO countries have delivered more than 98 percent of the combat vehicles pledged to Ukraine in its war with Russia, the military alliance chief said on Thursday, giving more than weight in Kiev which seems ready to launch a counter-offensive.
Along with more than 1,550 armored vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, member countries sent Ukraine “huge amounts of ammunition” and also trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian brigades, the secretary general said. of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 soldiers will make up these new brigades.
“This will allow Ukraine to be in a position of strength to continue to retake the occupied territories”, explained Mr. Stoltenberg to the press in Brussels.
His comments came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had a ‘long and meaningful’ phone call during their first known contact since Russia invaded more than a month ago. one year.
Although Mr. Zelensky said he was encouraged by Wednesday’s call and Western officials welcomed Mr. Xi’s move, the development does not appear to have led to an immediate change in the prospects for peace.
Russia and Ukraine are far apart in their terms of peace, and Beijing, which seeks to position itself as a global diplomatic power, has refused to criticize Moscow’s invasion. The Chinese government sees Russia as a diplomatic ally that opposes US influence in global affairs, and Xi visited Moscow last month.
Stoltenberg said the 31 NATO allies were determined to bolster Ukraine’s military, adding that taking back occupied territories from Kremlin forces would give Kiev a stronger negotiating position in the event of peace talks.
The Kremlin reacted in a mixed way to the appeal of Mr. Xi and Mr. Zelensky.
Asked if the call could help end the fighting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “We are ready to welcome anything that could lead to an end to the conflict in Ukraine and to the achievement of all the goals set by Russia. »
Mr. Peskov added that the conversation between the Chinese and Ukrainian leaders was “the sovereign affairs of these countries and their bilateral dialogue”.
With battlefield positions in Ukraine largely static since the war of attrition took hold in recent months, Russian forces have continued to shell Ukrainian areas, often hitting apartment buildings and other infrastructure. civil.
At least seven civilians were killed and 33 injured between Wednesday and Thursday, Ukraine’s presidential office said Thursday.
Among them, one person was killed and 23 others injured, including a child, when four Kalibr cruise missiles hit the southern city of Mykolaiv.
Mykolaiv province governor Vitalii Kim revealed that 22 multi-storey buildings, 12 private houses and other residential buildings were damaged in the attack.
Kalibr missiles are launched from ships or submarines. Those that hit Mykolaiv were fired from the Black Sea, according to Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command.