Kyiv, 29 September 2023 (TDI): The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg expressed strong support for Ukraine’s future within NATO and reaffirmed the commitment to assisting Ukraine in its preparations for full NATO membership.
He shared this during a conversation with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on September 28, 2023, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Secretary General Stoltenberg appreciated President Zelenskyy’s leadership and the bravery of Ukraine’s armed forces in the face of challenging circumstances and paid tribute to their efforts.
He stated that Ukraine was gradually gaining its former position as a result of its courageous counter-offensive against Russian aggression.
He praised Ukraine’s unwavering determination to fight for their families, a brighter future, and freedom and criticized Moscow’s aggression of illusionary dominance.
In addition, he underscored the robust support provided to Ukraine by NATO allies and member states with nearly 50 nations offering their assistance.
Furthermore, Stoltenberg highlighted the 140 nations who stand for Ukraine’s sovereignty at the United Nations (UN) and also highlighted Russia’s isolation from the international community, including its exclusion from international summits.
He added that Russia was now seeking weapons from countries such as Iran and North Korea after its aggression against Ukraine.
Stoltenberg underscored that all NATO allies had agreed regarding Ukraine’s path to NATO membership. He outlined three key decisions made at the Vilnius Summit to facilitate Ukraine’s journey toward NATO membership.
The first decision involved relaxing Ukraine’s accession process by reducing the number of steps in the Membership Action Plan.
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The second decision aimed to enhance Ukraine’s capabilities for future cooperation with NATO allies and the third decision was made to strengthen political ties between NATO and Ukraine through the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Council.
NATO-Ukraine Council is a platform for political decision-making and consultation. He emphasized that these three decisions had brought NATO and Ukraine closer together than ever before.
In conclusion, he reaffirmed the commitment of NATO allies’ continuous support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion by providing them with tanks, a sophisticated missile system, an air defense system, and training for F-16 pilots.
