NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Germany and other alliance countries to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine.

 He said this in an interview with the German agency DPA.

 "It may sound paradoxical, but military support for Ukraine is the fastest way to peace," Stoltenberg said. The background, he said, is that Russian President Vladimir Putin must be convinced that he will not achieve his goal of taking control of Ukraine. Then a peaceful negotiated solution can emerge, which will ensure the survival of Ukraine as an independent democratic state.

 Stoltenberg also made it clear that he considers the recent Ukrainian attacks on military facilities in Russia to be absolutely legal. "Every country has the right to defend itself. Ukraine too," he said.

 It is also necessary to consider the context of the Ukrainian attacks: massive Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure aimed at depriving the Ukrainian civilian population of water, heating and electricity in the winter. "President Putin is trying to turn winter into a weapon against the civilian population. This is not an attack on military facilities with civilian casualties. This is a massive attack on the civilian population, because millions of Ukrainians are deprived of these basic services," Stoltenberg said.

 When asked if he thought it would also be responsible to provide Ukraine with medium-range missiles, Stoltenberg said that there is an ongoing dialogue between allies and Ukraine regarding specific systems. He also recalled that earlier NATO allies had already provided Ukraine with long-range weapon systems, such as HIMARS missile systems, long-range artillery and drones.

 Regarding the discussion on the supply of German main battle tanks and Patriot complexes to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said that there were good consultations on these issues with NATO and in the "Ramstein" format under the chairmanship of the United States. "Of course, I call on the allies to do more. For the benefit of our security, ensure the victory of Ukraine and prevent Putin's victory," he added.

 At the same time, Stoltenberg warned that the discussion should not be narrowed to additional systems. "It's not just about adding new weapons systems. Perhaps more important is having enough ammunition for all the systems that are already there. The need for ammunition and spare parts is huge," he said.