The Russian strike on a passenger train in Ukraine yesterday shows the desperation of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told media in Brussels today, BTA reports.
Putin thinks he can stop us from supporting Ukraine and that he can undermine our unity, but he is wrong, Rutte added. Our response is to increase support for Ukraine so that the country can defend itself, he pointed out.
Russia continues its military attack on Ukraine and is paying a heavy price - over 40,000 casualties per month, Rutte said. He noted that the Russian strikes are dangerous and involve civilian infrastructure close to NATO's borders. According to him, NATO is determined to adhere to the principle of collective defense. We will always be able to defend every inch of our land, Rutte summed up.
Yesterday's Russian strikes show that the Russian side is becoming increasingly irresponsible, Putin wants to sow fear, but he will not succeed, no matter what his goal is with these actions, Rutte commented.
We strongly condemn the latest Russian air strikes on the Polish-Ukrainian border, including against a passenger train, a European Commission spokesman said today at a press conference in response to questions.
We take any threat on the EU's eastern borders as seriously as possible, the spokesman added. We are doing everything in our power to improve our capabilities in the face of these threats, he pointed out.
We stand firmly with Ukraine and advocate for its right to self-defense against Russian violence, the spokesman added. He noted that last week the EC provided Kiev with funding aimed at strengthening its air defense.