Jens Stoltenberg, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Visiting Secretary General, has emphasized diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
At a joint press conference with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Tapa Army Base in northern Estonia on Tuesday, Stoltenberg made the statements. According to the report, Putin demanded an immediate end to the war in Ukraine, the withdrawal of Russian military, and the resumption of diplomatic attempts.
"In response to Russia's strikes on Ukraine over the previous few weeks, we have strengthened our defense presence in the air, on land, and at sea," he said.
"Over 100 jets on high alert operating from 30 different places and over 120 ships from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean," Stoltenberg said, adding that the United Kingdom, the United States, and other partners are deploying thousands more troops to the alliance's eastern flank.
"We are deploying the NATO response force for the first time in our history," the NATO head added, describing NATO as a defensive alliance that does not desire conflict with Russia.
The TASS news reported Tuesday, citing sources, that the second round of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine could take place on Wednesday. The first round of talks, which lasted approximately five hours in Belarus' Gomel region, ended on Monday with no evident result.
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