NATO Has No Plans to Send Combat Units to Ukraine - Stoltenberg

WARSAW (Sputnik) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance has no plans to send combat units to Ukraine but called on member states to intensify the supply of weapons to Kiev.

On Thursday, American security and defense consultant Edward Luttwak wrote in an article for the UnHerd website that NATO countries "will soon have to send soldiers to Ukraine, or else accept catastrophic defeat" since Kiev lacks military personnel. He added that the United Kingdom, France and the Nordic countries "are already quietly preparing to send troops — both small elite units and logistics and support personnel."

"We do not intend to send any combat units to Ukraine," Stoltenberg told Polish broadcaster TVP Thursday.

However, the NATO chief called for an increase in the supply of arms to Ukraine.

"NATO allies are sending substantial military support to Ukraine. We should intensify these activities and transfer even more, especially air defense systems," Stoltenberg said.

Western countries have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia.