NATO chief notes 'no drastic changes but conflict's carnage continues in ongoing clashes

Еhere have been no drastic changes on the frontlines in Ukraine in recent months, but fierce fighting continues, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a briefing after the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council in Brussels.

"Terrible" battles have been going on at the front for the past months, despite the lack of serious changes on the battlefield.

"Last year, Ukraine was able to liberate most of the territories, but this year it is successfully hitting the rear of the Russians, the Black Sea Fleet, which destroys Russia's capabilities. The Defense Forces continue to inflict heavy losses on the Russian army," Stoltenberg stated.

The NATO chief noted that the F-16 fighter jets will help increase the losses of the Russian occupation forces and strengthen Ukrainian air defense, but will not break the situation on the battlefield.

"Many systems are needed. We need to prepare for a long and difficult war. We need HIMARS, missiles, air defense systems, but there is no single system that can change everything," said the secretary general.

On August 20, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Netherlands and Denmark. Both countries undertook to transfer F-16 fighters to Ukraine (42 aircraft will be provided by the Netherlands, and 19 by Denmark). Part of the planes from the Netherlands will be used for exercises.

Ukraine should use the F-16 only on its territory – not on the territory of Russia. Such conditions were announced by the Minister of Defense of Denmark. The Armed Forces accept these conditions, said Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat.

Denmark will receive the F-35 later than it wanted, but the delivery of the F-16 to the Armed Forces will not be affected, reported Bloomberg.