NATO chief hails arrival of American Abrams tanks in Ukraine

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday welcomed the arrival of US M1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine, signaling continued support for Ukraine's ongoing efforts against Russian aggression.

Stoltenberg received Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and follow up on decisions taken at the recent NATO Summit in Vilnius.

In a joint press conference, Stoltenberg expressed his gratitude to Siliņa for Latvia's unwavering commitment to the alliance during their recent meeting.

He praised Latvia for its significant contributions, which include strong leadership on defense spending, participation in missions in Kosovo and Iraq, and substantial political and military support to Ukraine.

During the meeting, Stoltenberg also acknowledged the commendable progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Ukrainian forces have successfully advanced beyond Russia's initial defense lines, causing significant damage to Russia's Black Sea fleet.

However, he cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that there were no indications of a shift in Russian President Putin's objectives.

"The ongoing war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine remains the most substantial threat to our security in decades," he warned.

He welcomed the support from NATO allies that has strengthened Ukraine's ability to resist Russian forces.