NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he does not believe that there is a military solution to the Afghan conflict and that the Taliban should realize that they cannot achieve their goals through war.

“We don't think that there is a military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, but we strongly believe that we need a strong Afghan force to be able to create the conditions for a political solution,” he said.  

He said Taliban will not win on the battlefield. 

“Taliban has to understand that they will never win on the battlefield, so they have to come to the negotiating table and agree to a political solution. That's the reason why we are providing military support, it's to enable a political solution,” he added.   

Stoltenberg said NATO welcomes any effort for a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. 

“We welcome any efforts to find a political solution and we strongly believe that this should be an Afghan-led and an Afghan-owned peace process, so therefore NATO support the Afghan-led and the Afghan-owned peace process, which also of course, at some stage, has to include finding a political solution with the Taliban. But Taliban has to understand that they cannot win on the battlefield, they have to sit down and negotiate,” he added.

Meanwhile, the US Defense Minster James Mattis has said that they are filling the gaps in Afghanistan. 

“I'm filling the gaps in Afghanistan. We're still engaged with various nations, right now, I believe we have, of 12 nations that have committed specifics, others are still going through the requirements, so, I see it going in the right direction, but again, more work needs to be done,” Mattis said.