ＮＡＴＯ、ロシアの反発一蹴　英の劣化ウラン弾供与めぐり

【アイントホーフェン（オランダ）ＡＦＰ＝時事】北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）のイエンス・ストルテンベルグ事務総長は２３日、英国が劣化ウラン弾のウクライナ向け供与を表明したことに対するロシアの反発を「ＮＡＴＯの同盟国は、ウクライナ支援におけるすべての行動で、国際ルールと国際法に従っている」と一蹴した。（写真はオランダ・アイントホーフェンの空軍基地を訪れたＮＡＴＯのイエンス・ストルテンベルグ事務総長〈左から２人目〉）
　ロシアは２２日、英国がウクライナに劣化ウラン弾を供与すれば、ウクライナ危機が大きくエスカレートすると警告した。
　ストルテンベルグ氏はオランダの空軍基地でＮＡＴＯと欧州連合（ＥＵ）の空中給油機部隊の運用開始式に出席。英国の劣化ウラン弾供与とロシアの反発に関するＡＦＰの質問に対し、「危険なのは多くの命を奪っているこの（ウクライナ）戦争だ」として、「リスクを減らすためにできる最も重要なことは、（ロシアのウラジーミル・）プーチン大統領が戦争をやめることだ」と強調した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/03/24-17:18）

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday dismissed Russian complaints about Britain's announcement that it will send Ukraine ammunition containing depleted uranium.
Moscow on Wednesday warned of a serious escalation of the Ukraine crisis if London gives Kyiv the armour piercing rounds.
NATO allies are following international rules and international law in everything they do in their support for Ukraine, Stoltenberg told AFP when asked about the British plans and Russian complaints.
The dangerous thing is the war, which is taking thousands of lives, he said at the operational launch of a new fleet of NATO-EU air-refuelling planes at a Dutch airbase.
The most important thing that can be done to reduce risks is for President Putin to stop the war.
British junior defence minister Annabel Goldie confirmed on Monday that the UK would provide Ukraine with the depleted uranium rounds. The heaviness of the metal allows shells to more easily penetrate steel.
- 'Difficult situation' -
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that their use would be a step towards a further escalation, and a serious one at that.
Lavrov added that it would sharply reduce Ukraine's ability to produce high-quality, uncontaminated food.
The United States on Wednesday dismissed what it called Moscow's strawman argument.
The NATO secretary general meanwhile said there was still a difficult situation around the frontline town of Bakhmut, where Kyiv on Thursday threatened an impending counterattack.
Wars are by nature unpredictable. What we see in Bakhmut is heavy fighting and (a) difficult situation, said Stoltenberg.
But he said NATO equipment and training for Ukraine was enabling them to make advances and new gains.