NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed his concern over the situation in Ukraine, saying that the alliance should be ready for "bad news" and support Kiev in both good and bad times.

In an interview with German broadcaster ARD on Saturday, Stoltenberg said that wars develop in phases and that Ukraine is now in a "critical situation". He did not give any specific advice to the Ukrainian authorities, leaving the operational decisions to them.

Stoltenberg also stressed the need to increase the production of ammunition, as NATO countries are facing a shortage due to the high demand. He said that the fragmentation of the European defense industry is one of the issues that should be addressed, as it would benefit both Europe and the industry.

The NATO chief said that there had been no significant changes on the ground in the past few months, but he did not rule out the possibility of further escalation. He said that wars are unpredictable, but the more NATO supports Ukraine, the faster the conflict will end. (ILKHA)