Briefing ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the 28th and 29th
“We continue to support Ukraine’s membership.”
“We must distinguish between small changes in the front line and intense combat.”
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), expressed positive internal sentiment regarding Ukraine’s accession to the organization. He drew a line at the prospect of war, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin is not planning peace.
Secretary-General Stoltenberg said at a press conference held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, on the 27th (local time), “The allies agree that Ukraine will become a NATO member.” The conference was an opportunity to address the topic of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which was to be held for two days starting the next day.
“At the meeting we will agree on priority reform recommendations for Ukraine and continue to support Ukraine on its path to becoming a member of NATO,” he said.
In addition, “the minister (at the meeting) will comment on Russia’s destabilizing actions in Ukraine and elsewhere. “Russia has brought war back to Europe,” he said, adding, “On the 28th, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will attend the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council as a foreign minister.”
Secretary-General Stoltenberg said, “We will reaffirm NATO’s long-term support,” adding, “Russia is weak politically, economically and militarily. Ukraine continues to fight bravely. “We continue to support them,” he emphasized.
As for specific support, he cited Germany and the Netherlands’ promise of 10 billion euros (approximately 14.2471 trillion won) to Ukraine, and support for air defense systems and ammunition from the United States and Finland. He also mentioned the opening of the European F-16 Fighter Training Center (EFTC) for Ukrainian pilots in Romania.
He said, “Last year, Ukraine won the battles of Kiev, Kharkiv, and Kherson. This year too, Russia is suffering great losses. Ukraine has recaptured 50% of the territory occupied by Russia. We won as a sovereign and independent nation. “This is a big victory for Ukraine.”
“It is up to Ukraine to decide what is an acceptable way to end this war,” he said of the recently floated possibility of a ceasefire. “Our responsibility is to put them in the strongest possible position. Therefore, we welcome continued support from NATO allies,” he said, urging support.
He continued, “War is inherently unpredictable. We have seen no signs that President Putin is planning peace. “In fact, he is planning more wars.”
Regarding the diagnosis that the war situation is a stalemate, he said, “What we are seeing is an intense fight. “The number of casualties is high, especially in the extremely difficult conditions along the front in the east,” he said.
At the same time, “this coincides with the fact that the front has not moved significantly. So, I think we need to distinguish between the fact that the front line is not moving that much and the fact that the battle is actually going on very fiercely,” he emphasized.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.