NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana declared on Friday, in western Cluj-Napoca, that a long-term conflict in Ukraine is anticipated, considering that there are not enough forces on either side to decisively win the fight on the battlefield.
"Unfortunately, we are anticipating a long-term conflict, an attrition war, in which losses on both sides continue being significant, a war dominated by artillery and small troop movements, advance-muster, but there are not enough forces on both sides in order for one side to decisively win on the battlefield," Mircea Geoana said, answering the journalists' questions.
He added that the conflict in Ukraine is producing a lot of violence and that more casualties will follow.
"I suspect that this conflict will go on for a while. Unfortunately, it will last, causing human damage, a lot of violence," Mircea Geoana mentioned.
Referring to the NATO summit to be held in Madrid next week, he noted that the members of the alliance will discuss the strengthening of the structure's presence in the East, and considerable attention will be paid to the Black Sea region.
Geoana expressed hope that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also be present at the meeting.
“The leaders of Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea will take part in the summit for the first time. There is good news for Romania and Ukraine,” he said.
