The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg requested South Korea today to increase its military aid to Ukraine. The NATO leader is in Seoul, as part of a visit that will also include Japan. According to the BBC, Stoltenberg intends to strengthen NATO ties with the Asian allies of the United States. He mentioned the war in Ukraine alongside North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and China’s growing assertiveness as reasons of concern for both East and West. In another development, on Sunday, in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would not send fighter planes to Ukraine, while Kyiv continues to request weapons from the Western countries to counter the Russian invasion. On Wednesday, Berlin decided to send 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other European countries to supply similar tanks to Kyiv. Also on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was confident that his country could defeat Russia this year, despite Ukraine’s current difficulties on the battle front. ‘2023 must and will certainly be the year of our victory’ President Zelenski wrote in a social media post. At the same time, the Ukrainian leader admitted that the situation was very difficult regarding the heavy fighting in the east of the country.
