CORRECTS - Ukraine can win war: NATO deputy chief

CORRECTS LEDE, MINOR EDITS

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - Ukraine can win the war against Russia, NATO’s deputy secretary general said on Sunday.

“The brutal invasion of Russia is losing momentum,” Mircea Geoana told reporters on the way to the second day of the informal meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers in Berlin.

He said that NATO allies provided significant military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

“With the bravery of the Ukrainian people, army, and our help, Ukraine can win this war,” Geoana said.

Besides the latest development in Ukraine, top NATO diplomats will also talk about the long-term reform in preparation for the leaders’ summit to be held in June in Madrid, he added.

Geoana said that the Swedish and Finnish foreign ministers also came together with their NATO counterparts on Saturday to discuss the plans to join the alliance.

Calling the two countries “vibrant democracies” and “NATO’s closest partners,” he said he was “confident” that if the two countries decide to apply for membership, allies will find “conditions for consensus” and welcome them.

He asserted that the ministers had a “frank and constructive discussion” on the process.

Calling Turkiye “an important ally,” Geoana said that Ankara "expressed concerns that were addressed and discussed in between friends and allies.”

Both Finland and Sweden have signaled that they may submit simultaneous membership applications to NATO in the coming days.

Turkiye voiced skepticism about their membership applications, and heavily criticized the two countries for tolerating PKK and YPG terror groups.

In a doorstep statement ahead of the informal NATO foreign ministers' meeting, Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday that Turkiye has always backed NATO's open-door policy.

However, he said Sweden and Finland were “openly supporting” and engaging with terrorist organizations like PKK and YPG, which continue to launch violent attacks targeting Turkish troops and civilians.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.