The fight for Donbas in eastern Ukraine will be like the Second World War, Ukraine ’s foreign minister warned today.
Dmytro Kuleba told NATO allies they had “days not weeks” to send more weapons to help local troops fight Vladimir Putin ’s invading forces.
Speaking after talks with NATO foreign ministers at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters, he said: “The Battle for Donbas is underway.
“It hasn’t reached its maximum scale but everyday the heaviest fighting takes place in that part of Ukraine.
“More is to come, unfortunately.
“The Battle for Donbas - and I regret to say it but this is true - will remind of the Second World War with large populations, manoeuvres, involvement of thousands of tanks, armoured vehicles, planes, artillery.”
He added: “ Russia has its plan, we have ours and the outcome will be decided on the battlefield.”
Urging NATO members to speed-up the delivery of vital military equipment, Mr Kuleba addressed those who are “still thinking that they have to do all the procedures, that there are many issues which have to be sorted out before they make decisions”.
He told them: “Either you help us now - and I am speaking about days not weeks - or your help will come too late and many people will die, many civilians will lose their homes, many villages will be destroyed - exactly because this help came too late.”
