NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg 'confident' US will keep arming Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday expressed confidence that the United States would persist in delivering weapons to Ukraine, despite political obstacles in Washington.The US has contributed over $40 billion in security aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion and has committed to supporting Kyiv for the foreseeable future. However, resistance from staunch Republicans has raised doubts about the continuity of US assistance.Speaking at a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Stoltenberg stated, "I'm confident that the United States will continue to provide support because it is in the security interest of the United States to do so and it's also in line with what we have agreed."Concerns have heightened regarding the future of Western support for Ukraine, especially as Kyiv's top general acknowledged that the intense fighting has reached a "stalemate."The European Union is currently grappling with formulating a plan for its own sustained backing of Ukraine in the face of opposition from Hungary.Stoltenberg urged allies to persist in their support, citing recent pledges of 10 billion euros ($11 billion) from Germany and the Netherlands.Despite minimal frontline movement, he noted that Ukraine has inflicted substantial losses on Russian forces.Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins emphasised the need for Ukraine to receive more long-range missiles to disrupt Russia's logistical capabilities, asserting that continued support is essential to prevent Russia from winning the war.Ukraine's top diplomat, Dmytro Kuleba, is expected to join the meeting on Wednesday, during which NATO members plan to agree on a reform agenda aimed at assisting Ukraine in its journey toward eventual NATO membership.With inputs from agencies