NATO chief urges Western allies to increase arms production in support of Ukraine

The NATO chief has warned Western allies not to “boost” arms production in the coming months to continue supporting Ukraine while Russia continues its bombing campaign.

Jens Stoltenberg said the war between Ukraine and Russia is consuming an “enormous amount” of ammunition, with signs suggesting President Vladimir Putin’s intervention “in the long term.”

Mr Stolenberg said NATO allies must help supply the government in Kyiv with the weapons it needs, but also maintain their own stockpiles of weapons.

He told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “For artillery we need a tremendous amount of ammunition, we need spares, we need maintenance.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg (pictured) said the war between Ukraine and Russia is using an “enormous amount” of ammunition, with signs suggesting that President Vladimir Putin will intervene “long-range”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his New Year’s speech to Russians during his visit to the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, December 31, 2022

“This is a huge undertaking. We need to ramp up production, and that’s what the NATO allies are doing.

“It is a core task of NATO to ensure that we have the supplies, supplies and weapons to ensure our own deterrence and defense, but also to be able to continue to provide long-term support to Ukraine.”

The call comes as Russia continues to bomb civilian areas in Ukraine with little sign of abating.

More rocket attacks were observed over the New Year’s weekend in the capital Kyiv and in the eastern city of Kherson.

Intense rocket and drone attacks made celebrations impossible in some areas.

Intense rocket and drone strikes in some areas made celebrations in Ukraine impossible. One person was killed and 20 people were killed after a hotel building in Kyiv (pictured) was hit by a Russian missile attack

Ukraine’s air force command said they destroyed 45 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, and Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said there were no casualties – although attacks on Saturday killed at least one person in the capital would.

Andriy Nebytov, chief of the Kiev police, posted a photo on the Telegram messaging app that allegedly shows a piece of a kamikaze drone on which a Russian soldier had emblazoned the words “Happy New Year.”

“These debris are not on the front lines, where fierce fighting is taking place, they are here, on a sports field where children are playing,” Nebytov said.

A 11pm curfew was in place in the capital, preventing citizens from partying in the main square overnight.

But for hours before curfew, hundreds of residents filled the streets, waving Ukrainian flags and wishing each other well while taking selfies in front of a large Christmas tree in blue and yellow-lit Sofia Square.

Ukrainians take a selfie with the national flag of Ukraine near a Christmas tree in the evening in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, on December 31, 2022 before the New Year

A Happy New Year message is written in Russian on part of an Iranian-made Shahed Kamikaze drone that was fired into Kyiv overnight

In his New Year’s speech, Putin signaled that the war, now in its 11th month, will continue.

Footage released by Russian state television showed Putin raising a glass of champagne with soldiers, some with awards on their chests, before telling viewers that “moral, historical accuracy is on our side.”

Putin said this year was marked by “really decisive, fateful events” that “became the frontier that lays the foundation for our common future, for our true independence.”

“Today we are fighting for it, protecting our people in our own historical areas, in the new constituent entities of the Russian Federation,” he added, referring to four Ukrainian regions allegedly annexed by Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainians will fight until they win the war.

In an emotional New Year’s speech, he said: “We are fighting and will continue to fight. For the sake of the main word, “victory,” he said in a New Year’s speech, even as his country endured fresh Russian strikes.

“I want to say to all of you: Ukrainians, you are amazing! See what we’ve done and what we’re doing.

“We fight as one team – the whole country, all our regions. I admire you all. I want to thank all invincible regions of Ukraine.

Mr Stoltenberg said while the Ukrainians had enjoyed the upper hand in the fighting in recent weeks, there were signs the Russians were regrouping for a renewed offensive.

He added: “Russia has shown no sign of abandoning its overarching goal of taking control of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, standing next to his wife Olena Zelenska, said in his New Year’s speech that Ukraine will triumph over Russia

“The Ukrainian armed forces have had the momentum for several months, but we also know that Russia has mobilized many more forces. Many of them are training now.

“Everything indicates that they are ready to continue the war and possibly also try to launch a new offensive.”

While Mr Stoltenberg said he believed the war would “most likely” end at the negotiating table, he said it was important to ensure Ukrainians were able to enter any talks from a position of strength.

“What Ukraine can achieve at this table depends on its strength on the battlefield,” he said.

“If we want a negotiated solution that will ensure that Ukraine asserts itself as a sovereign, independent and democratic state in Europe, then we must support Ukraine now.”

While Mr Stoltenberg (pictured) said he believed the war would “most likely” end at the negotiating table, he said it was important to ensure Ukrainians were able to enter any talks from a position of strength

Earlier, the prosecutor leading the case against Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic had called for Mr Putin to be tried for war crimes.

Sir Geoffrey Nice, who worked with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, said the case against the Russian leader “couldn’t be clearer”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s broadcasting house: “These are crimes against humanity because civilian targets should never be bombed or otherwise attacked.

“There can be no doubt that the chain of command leads directly to Putin. These are his soldiers. He’s a guilty man.’

Sir Geoffrey said he was surprised prosecutors and politicians didn’t say so more openly and expressed concern that Mr Putin could be exempted from trial as part of a deal to end the war.

“It is quite possible that there is a settlement agreement drafted by someone else, not the Ukrainians, that includes a clause saying that Putin will not be brought to justice,” he said.

“It is a horrifying prospect and it will be a complete denial of justice for the people of Ukraine.”