Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters – Russia’s likely new offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass area in the coming weeks, NATO Secretary General Jensen Stolen announced on Tuesday. Stolen added that NATO had given allies time to assist with the preparations of the Ukrainian military.

Stoltenberg spoke out a day ahead of NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels to discuss further financial, military, humanitarian and other support for Ukraine.

Stoltenberg said that he now saw a large movement of Russian troops leaving Kyiv. He explained this to a news conference.

Before Wednesday’s NATO foreign ministers meeting, he stated that “In the next weeks we expect a continued Russian push in Eastern and Southern Ukraine to try and take the whole Donbas and create a Land Bridge to occupied Crimea.”

Stoltenberg’s comments seemed to confirm Moscow’s March announcement about refocusing its efforts on “the total liberation the Donbas”, an agricultural region that has been under Russian-backed separatist rule since 2014.

Stoltenberg claimed it would be an important new phase of Russia’s invasion on February 24, which is what the Kremlin called a special military operation.

“Repositioning Russian troops will be a long and difficult process. It could take several weeks,” he stated.

He added that it was crucial that NATO allies offer support during this time window.

Stoltenberg stated that foreign ministers will meet on Wednesday and Thursday to talk about how to provide more anti-tank weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

Dmytro Kuleba from Ukraine is scheduled to participate in part of the Brussels two-day meeting.