support for Ukraine is in question because# of Republican resistance on Capitol Hill.

NATO's secretary-general is# here in Washington this week,## and he spoke with our Nick Schifrin# from the Pentagon a sh NICK SCHIFRIN: Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg,# welcome back to the "NewsHour."

Thanks very much.

I want to start on the front line in# Ukraine.

Here's what Celeste Wall one of the top U.S. defense officials who# work on Ukraine, told journalists last wee CELESTE WALLANDER, U.S. Assistant# Secretary of Defense: We have heard## reports from the Ukrainian government# that t not -- do not have the stocks and the# stores of ammunition that they require.

NICK SCHIFRIN: From your perspective today, how# short is Ukraine of the weapons it already needs?

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO Secretary-General:# They need more weapons, and, in particular,## they need more ammunition and# spare parts and sustainment.

And that's exactly why it is important that# the United States, but also all other allies,## commit to long-term support to# Ukraine and ensure that there## is a steady flow of ammunition,# spare parts, weapons to Ukraine.

NICK SCHIFRIN: There are long-term American# contracts that will be going to Ukraine for## the next couple years, but the task at hand# in Washington is that Congress th e $60 billion that the administration# wants to send Ukraine weapons today.

At this point, what do you believe NATO# members are able and willing to do,## given that the U.S. right now cannot send# further weapons short-term to Ukraine?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I believe that# all allies, also the United States,## will continue to provide support to Ukraine.

The U.S. has demonstrated leadership,# provided unprecedented support to but the reality is that actually European# allies have also really stepped up.

And if## you take them altogether, European allies and# Canada, the total support from European all and Canada is actually bigger than# the support from the United States.

And then I see that there is actually# broad support for continued support,## also the United States, in the Congress,# for support to Ukraine.

The challenge is,## of course, that this is linked# to another important issue,## the situation on the border.

It's not for me to# go into there is a way to find an agreement on Ukraine,# where we actually see broad political support.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But as we started this interview# acknowledging Ukraine needs weapons today,## it doesn't even have enough today for what# it needs, and U.S. officials are beginning## to acknowledge that 2024 is likely to be a year# in which Ukraine just needs to hold the line,## and that it's actually 2025, when# American weapons come online,## when more European weapons come online, and, in# fact, Ukrainian weapons as well come onl in the spring of 2025, Ukraine could# be able to launch another offensive.

Is that how you see it?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I will not# go i I think it's important that it's# for Ukraine to comme issues.

Then I think it's extremely# important also to remember where## we started when Russia invaded# Ukraine in 2022, February '22.

At that time, most experts feared that# Ukraine will come under Russian control## within weeks and Kyiv will be taken by# Russia within days.

What we have seen## is actually that Ukraine has been# able to liberate 50 percent of the## land that Russia controlled in the# beginning of the full-fledged war.

They have been able to push back the Russian# fleet from the western part of the Black Sea.

So,## they have opened a corridor for export# of grain and other commodities.

That's## extremely impressive.

And by deep strikes, not# least with the cruise missiles Ki ngdom and France, they are able to continue to# inflict heavy losses on the Russian armed forces.

So, they have achieved a lot, and# they have demonstrated that the## support we provide to them is making a huge# difference on the battlefield every day.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But, today, Ukraine# has still not found a solution for## the defenses that Russia has set up,# especially in Southern Ukraine, right?

JENS STOLTENBERG: Wars are unpredictable and wars## are difficult.

And no one can say exactly# how this war will develop the next year.

But what we do know is that the Ukrainians have# the courage, the determination to defend their## own land.

And we also do know that, when they get# the support from us, they are actually able to## inflict heavy losses and gain also territory# in the fight with invading Russian forces.

We need to stand by Ukraine both in good times,## but also in bad times.

We can not only# be kind good weather th erefore, I count on all allies to# continue to support Ukraine, not least## because it's in our security interest to ensure# that President Putin doesn't win in Ukraine.

If he wins, it will embolden him, but also other# authoritarian leaders, including in China, to## violate international law, use force, and we must# prevent that from happening by supporting Ukraine.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Let's talk about political support# for Ukraine.

Last summer in Vilnius, NATO members## dropped the requirement for Ukraine to complete# a Membership Action Plan before Will there be more concrete measures# taken at the summit in Washington in## July for NATO's 75th anniversary that# will actually send the message to## both Kyiv and Moscow that this war# will end with Ukraine inside NATO?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I cannot preempt the exact# conclusions from the Washington summit, but,## first of all, that will be an# important summit, where we are## going to mark the 75th anniversary of# the most successfu And I expect that allies will agree further# steps to move Ukraine even closer to NATO.## Ukraine will become a member of this alliance.# That has been clearly stated by all allies.

And we have moved them closer by turning# a two-step process into one-step process## before they can become a member, which actually# shortened the path to membership, by establishing## something called the Nato-Ukraine Council, where# we are deepening the political cooperation, and## by helping them to ensure that the Ukrainian armed# forces are fully interoperable with NATO forces.

All of this is moving Ukraine closer to NATO,# demonstrating that Putin made a big mistake.## He wanted to control Ukraine, prevent Ukraine# from moving towards E.U.

and NATO membership.## He's getting exactly the opposite.

Ukraine is# closer both to E.U.

and NATO than ever before.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Sir, let me ask you about# a little American politics, if I may.

Donald Trump, of course, has won# the first two Republican contests## in the United States.

We went back# to the archive and found this moment## from a breakfast you held with# the former president in 2018.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President# of the United States (R) and## is captive to Russia becau Russia.

So we're supposed to protect Germany,# but they're getting their energy from Russia.

Explain that.

And it can't# be explained.

You know that.

NICK SCHIFRIN: My first question is,## does tha JENS STOLTENBERG: Well, I'm the secretary-general# of NATO, responsible for working with 31## allies.

And, of course, allies elect different# political -- select different political leaders.

The strength of these allies is that, despite# differences, despite different political parties## in power in different countries on both sides# of the Atlantic, we have always been able to## unite around our core task to protect and# defend each other.

And I expect that to## continue to be the case, because it is a great# advantage for the United States to have NATO.

NATO is important for European security, but NATO# is also important for the United States.

Together,## we represent 50 percent of the# world's GDP and 50 percent of## the world's military might.

And that# makes also the United States stronger.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S.' European allies,# some governments are making contingency## plans if Donald Trump were to become# president again and withdraw from N Is NATO making those contingency plans?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I'm confident that the# United States will remain a committed## NATO allies -- ally, because it is in the# interest of the United States, not least## when they see the size of the military buildup# in China and the size of the Chinese economy.

I also see broad bipartisan support for NATO in# the United States.

And then, when you listen to## what former President Trump has stated many# times, his primary criticism is not about## NATO.

It's about NATO allies not spending enough# on NATO, not investing enough in -- on defense.

And, there, we have a good story# to tell.

Over the last years,## all allies have increased defense spending.# More spending 2 percent of GDP.

And, in total,# they have added 450 billion U.S. dollars.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes.

for more defense spending.

They were# right, NICK SCHIFRIN: Jens Stoltenberg,# secretary-general of NATO, thank you very much.

JENS STOLTENBERG: Thank you.