BRUSSELS, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday stressed the need for Ukraine's Western allies to ramp up their military, financial and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv, affirming that promises alone are not sufficient to end the war.
Speaking at a ceremony held at NATO headquarters in Brussels marking the fourth anniversary of Russia-Ukraine crisis, Rutte said, "This support is essential. Ukraine needs more, because a promise of help does not end the war" adding, "Ukraine needs ammunition today and every day until the bloodshed stops".
He underlined that continued Western support is "imperative" to enable Ukraine to "defend itself against Russian terror from the sky and to hold the front lines".
Regarding prospects for peace, Rutte stressed that any settlement must be "lasting,".
He added, "There cannot be true peace in Europe without real peace in Ukraine," describing the current winter as "a bleak winter for Ukraine," but noting that "there is hope and help at hand". (end) arn.aai