NATO top admiral on Russia's war on Ukraine: 'Goliath is wavering'

NATO sees Russian forces in Ukraine in an increasingly difficult situation, according to the alliance's top admiral.

"Russia is in the 15th month of what they thought would be a three-day war," Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO's military committee, said in Brussels on Wednesday.

"Goliath is wavering. And that is because David has shown immense resilience and tactical brilliance supported by 50 nations around the world," Bauer added.

Bauer was alluding to the Bible story of David and Goliath, in which the young shepherd David kills the fearsome giant Goliath with a slingshot.

Bauer's comments came at the start of a meeting of the alliance's military chiefs of defence where top military officials from NATO member countries discussed new regional defence plans.

These plans were developed to better defend the alliance's territory in the event of an attack by Russia or terrorist groups, and foresee an increase in high-readiness troops.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that he expected the heads of state and government to support the new plans at a summit in July and agree on expanding the production of defence equipment.

"We are moving in the right direction, but not as fast as the dangerous world we live in demands," Stoltenberg said.

For Germany, General Carsten Breuer attended the military committee for the first time after taking over the position as the highest-ranking soldier in the Bundeswehr in March.