The NATO-Ukraine Council met for the first time at the foreign minister level in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the war in Ukraine, Ukraine’s NATO membership process, and NATO assistance to Ukraine. In the opening remarks of the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that NATO continues to support Ukraine, and said: “We are determined that one day Ukraine will sit at this table as a full member of our alliance.” We are also joined at the meeting by Foreign Minister Kuleba, who will update us on the current situation on the ground and Ukraine’s needs. He added, “The allies provide Ukraine with unprecedented military, financial, and humanitarian assistance and support the necessary reforms on Ukraine’s path to NATO membership.”
Stoltenberg stressed that the ongoing Russian attacks threaten Europe’s security and the stability of the system based on international law, and said: “Our allies continue to stand by Ukraine for your security and theirs.”
On the other hand, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg made a statement to the press before his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Noting that the meeting showed that Ukraine is moving closer to NATO membership, Stoltenberg expressed his admiration for the courage of the Ukrainian army, its leadership and its people since the invasion. Stoltenberg: We should not underestimate Russia. We see violent clashes. We have to be prepared for new air and missile attacks. “Therefore, it is important that we show our solidarity with Ukraine not only in word but also in deed,” he said.
However, Stoltenberg welcomed the decision of Germany and the Netherlands to provide additional aid to Ukraine worth a total of more than 10 billion euros, and said it was in Ukraine’s and NATO’s interests for Ukraine to prevail.
(tags for translation) NATO