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Added on the 22/06/2016 16:29:06 - Copyright : Reuters EN
Sweden joining NATO shows Russian President Vladimir Putin "failed" in his Ukrainian war strategy of weakening the alliance, its chief Jens Stoltenberg says. The Kremlin's invasion not only prompted formerly non-aligned nations Sweden and Finland to come under NATO's defence umbrella, but now "Ukraine is closer to NATO membership than ever before," Stoltenberg adds. SOUNDBITE
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issues a dire warning that Ukraine's territorial gains against Russia are at risk without new aid approved by Congress. "Without it, simply put, everything that Ukrainians achieved and that we've helped them achieve will be in jeopardy," Blinken tells a news conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. SOUNDBITE
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warns European leaders that Russia's Vladimir Putin would exploit any failure to agree to launch his country's EU membership talks. "People in Europe won't see any benefit if Moscow receives a pass from Brussels in the form of negativity towards Ukraine. Putin will surely use this against you personally and against all of Europe," Zelensky tells an EU summit by videolink. SOUNDBITE ++ TEXT 347R2JH
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants "to use winter as a weapon of war" in his Ukrainian operation, says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Bucharest, ahead of a meeting with the alliance's foreign ministers. A weapon based on Russia's attempt "to deprive the Ukrainians of water, electricity, light and heating" says Stoltenberg. SOUNDBITE
Speaking ahead of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warns that Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine could last "for many months, for even years". SOUNDBITE