NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said he was waiting to see how Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson would go, but if confirmed, it would be “another victory for Ukraine.” “We have to see how the situation on the ground develops in the coming days. But what is clear is that Russia is under a lot of pressure and if they leave Kherson, it would be another victory for Ukraine,” he said in Rome, where he held talks with the new Italian prime minister. Ukraine announced Thursday that its forces had recaptured a dozen villages in the southern Kherson region, a day after Russia ordered its troops to withdraw from the city of the same name. Russia said on Thursday that its forces had begun to withdraw. “We saw how the Ukrainian armed forces were able to push back Russian forces and liberate territory,” Stoltenberg said. “These gains belong to the brave and courageous soldiers of Ukraine.” Kiev forces have zeroed in on the pre-war city of Kherson, with a population of 280,000, and cut supply lines in recent weeks as part of a larger counteroffensive in eastern and southern Ukraine that has pushed Russian troops out of large swathes of ground. Recapturing Kherson could allow Ukraine to win back lost territory in the Zaporizhia region and other southern regions, including Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. If Russia implements its withdrawal from an area that President Vladimir Putin declared annexation a month ago, in what would be his biggest retreat since his forces withdrew from the outskirts of Kiev in March. A Russian retreat could also increase domestic pressure on the Kremlin to escalate the conflict. Ukrainian authorities have warned against viewing the announced plan as a done deal. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the Russians could feign a withdrawal from Kherson to lure the Ukrainian army into an entrenched battle in the strategic industrial port city. “Until the Ukrainian flag is flying over Kherson, there is no point in talking about the withdrawal of Russian troops,” presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Zelensky agreed that any Russian withdrawal from Kherson would show “strong progress” for Ukrainian forces, Sunak’s office said. But during a phone call between the two leaders on Thursday, both also said it was right to express caution about the withdrawal “until the Ukrainian flag is raised over the city,” a Sunak spokesman said. “The Prime Minister praised the bravery of the Ukrainian armed forces and reiterated the UK’s unwavering military, financial and political support,” the spokesman added.
Meloni pledges to defend Ukraine
Stoltenberg was speaking after his first face-to-face talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office late last month. Her government allies include many people sympathetic to Moscow, although she has repeatedly emphasized her support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Meloni said one of her priorities was to work to strengthen the alliance, to make it “even more capable of responding to threats coming from all directions.” “The alliance is essential for the security and prosperity of our countries,” she told reporters, adding that her government remains committed to defending “Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom.” Stoltenberg said NATO would support Ukraine “as long as necessary.” “The unprecedented support provided by NATO allies, including Italy, is making a difference on the battlefield every day and remains vital to Ukrainian progress,” he told reporters.
