Ukrainian army making gains but war likely to drag on, say US and Nato

US secretary of state Antony Blinken, left, and Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at a media conference after a meeting of Nato ambassadors at Nato headquarters in Brussels (Jonathan Ernst, Pool Photo via AP)

The Ukrainian armed forces have made significant early gains in their counter-offensive against Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine but fighting appears set to drag on for months, US secretary of state Antony Blinken and the head of Nato said.

Mr Blinken, who was at Nato headquarters to brief the 29 US allies after a trip to Kyiv on Thursday, said the six-month war in Ukraine is entering a critical period and he urged the conflict-torn country’s western backers to maintain their support in coming months and through the winter.