BERLIN

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Saturday that China is exacerbating the war in Europe by supporting Russia against Ukraine.

"China says it wants to maintain good relations with the West. At the same time, however, Beijing is fueling the war in Europe. You can't have it both ways," Stoltenberg said in an interview with German newspaper, Welt am Sonntag.

Stoltenberg emphasized the crucial role of China's support for Russia in the Ukraine conflict.

He noted that there is a clear increase in the sale of machine parts, microelectronics and other technologies that Moscow uses to produce missiles, tanks and aircraft for the war against Ukraine.

Stoltenberg reiterated that there are no plans to send NATO troops to Ukraine or extend the alliance’s air defense umbrella to Ukraine, affirming again that NATO will not be a part of the conflict.

Urging NATO countries to provide more support to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said, "It's not too late for Ukraine to win. We need to send more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, including air defense systems and long-range weapons.

He stressed the need for allies to renew their military inventories and increase the production of weapons and ammunition.

He said: "If (Russian President Vladimir) Putin gets what he wants in Ukraine, there will be no lasting security in Europe, and the world as a whole will become more unstable.

"We must deter Russia from further aggression. A policy of appeasement towards Putin will not work," he added.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul