Expect more refugees as Putin is weaponising winter, Nato chief warns

Europe can expect the arrival of more Ukrainian refugees as Vladimir Putin uses winter as a weapon of war, the Nato chief has warned.

The United States and its allies used a Nato meeting in Romania to promise more arms for Kyiv and equipment to rebuild the national grid that has been ravaged by Russian missile strikes.

Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance secretary general, said: “We have to be prepared for more refugees crossing into the rest of Europe," as a result of Russia's "deliberate attack on critical services, heating, light, water, gas" in Ukraine.

Speaking in Bucharest at the two-day summit of foreign ministers to mobilise support for Ukraine, he said: “I think we all have seen these pictures taken from satellites where you see Europe in light and then you see Ukraine dark... so there is a huge task to rebuild all of this."

"President Putin is trying to use winter as a weapon of war," he told reporters.

Eight million have left Ukraine 

In the nine months since Russia's full-scale invasion began, some 6.5 million Ukrainians are thought to have moved internally to flee fighting and another eight million have left the country.

Aid agencies have warned that the onset of winter and the Kremlin's attempt to break Ukraine's resistance by shattering infrastructure may trigger another wave of movement as people seek warmth and safety.

Russia has sent waves of missiles and exploding drones to destroy infrastructure in recent weeks. While Ukraine's air defences have shot down many, those that have got through have caused mounting damage to the national grid. Blackouts have become more severe and more lengthy and millions have been left without water, or struggling to heat their homes.

President Volodymyr Zelensky told Ukrainians at the start of this week to expect another barrage soon.

Ukraine has already seen early snows in the north and east and by mid winter temperatures may fall to as low as -20C.

'It's going to be a terrible winter for Ukraine'

James Cleverly, Foreign Secretary, accused Mr Putin of trying to "freeze the Ukrainians into submission".

A senior European diplomat added: “It is going to be a terrible winter for Ukraine, so we are working to strengthen our support for it to be resilient.”

America announced a new £44m package to buy transformers, circuit-breakers, surge arresters vehicles and other equipment so Kyiv can patch up the grid.

Ukraine said the greatest need was for air defence missile batteries and transformers to weather the Russian onslaught.

Dmytro Kuleba, foreign minister, said: “If we have transformers and generators, we can restore our energy needs. If we have air defence systems, we can protect [ourselves] from the next Russian missile strikes. In a nutshell: Patriots and transformers are what Ukraine needs the most."

Ukraine 'will become Nato member'

Ministers also confirmed a 2008 summit decision that Ukraine would eventually become a member of the military alliance. But, as in 2008, there were no concrete steps or timetable that would actually bring the country closer to membership.

"We stated that Ukraine will become a member, I expect allies to reiterate that position,” Mr Stoltenberg said.

"However, the main focus now is on supporting Ukraine. We are in the midst of a war and therefore we should do nothing that can undermine the unity of allies to provide military, humanitarian, financial support to Ukraine."

The ministers also discussed assistance including ammunition, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jammers.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuanian foreign minister, urged alliance partners to keep delivering tanks, saying Nato had plenty to spare.

He said on Twitter: “My message to fellow foreign ministers at today's Nato meeting is simple: Keep calm and give tanks.”