EXCERPT:
STOLTENBERG: “Of course, it would have been much better if the U.S. Congress could have decided on a new package or a new allocation of money to Ukraine before Christmas. At the same time, I continue to count on the United States and the U.S. Congress to agree a substantial package for Ukraine because this is not charity. This is not only something we do to support Ukraine. We do it because it is an investment in our own security. And we have to remember that if President Putin wins, it’s not only a tragedy for Ukrainians, it’s also dangerous for us. We become more vulnerable because then the message to President Putin is that when he uses military force, he gets what he wants and this is also very closely watched in Beijing. So this is in our security interest and the security interest of the United States to invest in the defense of Ukraine.”