NATO promises more help for Ukraine in response to 'sham' votes

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attended a meeting of NATO defense ministers at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on 16 June, 2022.

NATO will increase its support for Kyiv as a response to Russia's "sham” referendums in occupied territory of Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg (pictured) said on Friday (23 September).

As Moscow launched votes for the four regions to join Russia, he spoke. Kyiv and its allies claim that this was a ruse designed to annexe the territories and intensify the seven-month-old conflict.

Stoltenberg stated that NATO's solution is to increase support. He spoke to CNN in an interview.

He stated that strengthening the Ukrainians on the field is the best way to end the war so they can at some point sit down and find a solution acceptable to Ukraine. This will preserve Ukraine's independence and sovereignty in Europe.

There are fears that Moscow might attempt to incorporate these four areas, and then use attacks on Russia's retake of them as an attack against Russia.

Stoltenberg stated that Russia would use the sham votes in order to escalate the conflict in Ukraine.

"But these votes don't have any legitimacy and they don't change anything. This is still a war of aggression against Ukraine."

NATO allies support Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and military equipment.

After Ukrainian troops had earlier this month retaken large swathes northeast in a counter-offensive, the four-day referendums were quickly organized.

The Kremlin seems to be trying to get back the upper hand in the conflict that has been raging since its 24 February invasion.

Putin claims that Russia is conducting a "special military operations" to demilitarize Ukraine, expel dangerous nationalists from the country and protect Russia against NATO's transatlantic alliance.

Moscow believes that the referendums provide an opportunity for the people of the region to voice their opinions.