The aborted mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia demonstrates that Moscow committed a “strategic mistake,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, June 26. Stoltenberg was visiting Lithuania ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit. The 2023 NATO summit is scheduled to take place on July 11 and 12, 2023, in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
Speaking to reporters in Vilnius, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance is keeping a close eye on the recent developments in Russia. He emphasised the mistakes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and stated that Putin made a mistake by waging war on Ukraine.
‘Putin’s strategic mistake’
The NATO chief also said that the events over the weekend are an internal matter of Russia and NATO is continuously monitoring the situation. The mutiny was yet another demonstration of the big strategic mistake that President Putin made with his illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.He said that as Russia continues its assault, it is even more important to continue supporting Ukraine. Referring to the counter offensive launched by Ukraine to retake occupied territories, the NATO chief said that the more land Kyiv is able to liberate, the stronger will they be at the negotiating table. Stoltenberg also stressed this is important to achieve just and lasting peace.
Mutiny in Russia
The Wagner Group, a private miltiary company led by its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a short-lived revolt in Russia against the top military brass in Kremlin. The Wagner mercenary forces under Prigozhin briefly took control of two military hubs in southern Russia – Rostov-on-Don and Lipetsk and got within 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow.
Prigozhin later declared retreat after a deal was brokered by Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko.
Talks with Turkey President
On Sunday, Stoltenberg also had a phone call with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan where the two leaders discussed the recent developments in Russia and issues of Sweden’s membership in NATO.
