Live blog: 'No alternative' to helping Ukraine stop Putin — NATO

Monday, November 27, 2023

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the West has "no alternative" but to keep backing Ukraine's fight against Russia in the face of doubts over US support to Kiev.

"It very often happens in wars that when people realise that this may last a long time, of course, that is demanding, that is difficult," Stoltenberg said in an interview at NATO's headquarters in Brussels.

"We don't have any alternative. The alternative, to let President Putin win, is a tragedy for Ukraine and is dangerous for us."

"Despite the difficulties, despite the lack of progress or achievements or territorial gains, we need to continue to support Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.

More updates: 👇

1657 GMT — Russia says there will be no Lavrov-Blinken talks at OSCE meeting

There will be no meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at an OSCE conference this week, Russian news agency TASS cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

In response to a question at the Primakov Readings International Forum, Ryabkov was quoted as saying Washington had not requested a meeting "and will not request one. And there will be no meeting".

Lavrov said on Monday that he would take part in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in North Macedonia if Bulgaria opened its air space to the Russian delegation and that some Western countries had asked to meet him.

1514 GMT — Russia says Europe undermined its reputation as negotiable partner

“They (Europe) have undermined their ability to negotiate,” Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told an international forum in Moscow.

Lavrov further said Moscow will “think 10 times” in the case where proposals are made to restore relations between Russia and Europe, indicating that they will weigh them to see how much they meet their interests and “how reliable and negotiable these European colleagues are.”

He went on to say that restoring relations with Europe is not what Russia needs to currently think about but rather how not to depend on actions by European politicians, which he said are carried out “under the influence of Washington.”

Lavrov claimed the EU is in the process of losing its economic weight and that this process will accelerate in the future.

1351 GMT — Blinken to highlight ongoing support for Ukraine in Europe this week

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will highlight the NATO alliance's ongoing support for Ukraine in its war with Russia in Europe this week, the top State Department official for Europe said.

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien also told reporters ahead of Blinken's travel to Brussels that Washington does not have a policy of pushing Ukraine into talks with Russia.

Blinken will represent the United States at a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Skopje, North Macedonia, this week, O'Brien said.

1144 GMT — Ukraine inflicting 'heavy losses' on Russian forces: NATO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Ukraine was still inflicting major losses on Russia, despite Kiev not managing to regain captured territory.

"Of course, we would like them to liberate as much territory as possible as quickly as possible, but even though the frontline has not moved, Ukrainians have been able to inflict heavy losses on the Russian invaders," Stoltenberg said.

1133 GMT — Russia intensely attacking Avdiivka, Robotyne, says Ukraine

Russia was intensely attacking the eastern town of Avdiivka and the southern village of Robotyne, where fighting has centred in recent weeks, Ukraine has said.

Avdiivka is in the Donetsk region, which now appears almost encircled by Moscow's forces.

The Ukrainian army said Moscow's forces had launched "more than 150" attacks on Ukrainian positions in villages around the town.

A day earlier, Ukraine said it had "repelled" two dozen attacks around Avdiivka.

For our live updates from Sunday (November 26), click here.