Ukrainian troops are ‘gradually gaining ground,’ NATO chief says – National

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces were “gradually gaining ground” in their counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Stoltenberg also said Russian troops were fighting for Moscow’s “imperial delusions.”

Stoltenberg announced that NATO now had over-arching framework contracts in place with arms companies worth 2.4 billion euros (US$2.53 billion) for key ammunition, including 1 billion euros in firm orders.

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He said such contracts would allow NATO members to replenish their depleted stockpiles while also continuing to provide Ukraine with ammunition, a key factor in the war.

Stoltenberg also condemned Russian strikes near Ukraine’s border with NATO member Romania. He said there was no evidence such strikes were a deliberate attack on Romania but branded them “reckless” and “destabilizing.”