2023-04-20 21:14:11
Since the Russian aggression against Ukraine began, NATO has backed Kiev with military support, but has shown some lukewarmness regarding its possible entry into the Atlantic Alliance. Its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, had avoided a photo with the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski; and has tiptoed past discussions of kyiv’s possible NATO membership, fearing that Moscow would interpret it as a provocation. This Thursday, however, this complicated game of balances gave way to determination. On a surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital, Stoltenberg assured that the future of Ukraine “is within the Alliance” and assumed that Zelenski will press for the accession process to begin at the summit that the military organization will hold in July.
During their meeting, the Ukrainian leader insisted that “it is time” for NATO to invite Ukraine to join and that “there are no objective barriers” that prevent its accession. For his part, Stoltenberg stated that “it is its rightful place” and that “all the allies” agree on this idea. However, he assured that “the priority” is that kyiv prevail, that it continue to be “a sovereign, independent and democratic nation and that it win the war.”
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Ukraine has been demanding its accession to NATO for years and this request has intensified since the war broke out, assuring that it is “its only real guarantee of security” before Russia. The Alliance, on the other hand, ruled out sending troops and combat planes to the country, arguing that the country is not a member of the organization and thus avoiding a direct confrontation with Moscow. “Our intention is not to provoke a conflict, but to prevent it,” Stoltenberg said in March.
NATO has supported the country with the training of tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and the delivery of more than 65 billion euros in military aid, which has allowed Ukrainian forces to “drive Russia out of Kiev, Kherson and Kharkiv. Now we are delivering fighter planes, tanks and armored cars, as well as mobile and medical supplies by satellite,” Stoltenberg said.
Unlock fighter dispatch
The Ukrainian leader, for his part, asked for help to “overcome the reluctance” of the allies to deliver crucial weapons to kyiv to fight Russian troops. The country has been demanding fighter jets and tanks from its allies for months. This new appeal came just one day before the meeting of the Ramstein group, the coalition of fifty countries that supports Ukraine militarily, which is being held today at this US military base located in Germany.
This group of countries has already coordinated the sending of tanks to support the Ukrainian army. To the German Marder and Leopard armored vehicles, the American Bradleys are also added. Spain, for its part, has promised to deliver six Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to kyiv before the end of the month. The debate on the delivery of fighters is still open.
«The future of Ukraine is in the Atlantic Alliance. All the allies agree on this idea»
Jens Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General
“It is time for NATO to invite kyiv to join. There are no objective barriers that prevent their adherence»
Volodímir Zelenski
President of Ukraine
Meanwhile, all the support from the allied countries “makes a difference on the battlefield every day,” said Stoltenberg, who insisted on the importance of maintaining support for Ukraine in the short, medium and long term. “We don’t know when this war will end, but we do know that Russian aggression is part of a toxic pattern that we must stop.” NATO will remain on kyiv’s side. “We stood by your side after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and we stand by your side today, in your heroic fight against the Russian invaders and in defense of your country,” he stressed.
Without specifying any deadline, the Norwegian politician gave a nod of support to Ukraine’s aspirations to join the organization, assuring that NATO will invest in the modernization of the Ukrainian forces with the aim of bringing them closer to its standards, which will facilitate your income in the future.
Support for the peace plan
The most important thing for the Alliance is to achieve a “just and sustainable peace” in the territory. In this sense, Stoltenberg supported the peace proposal of the Ukrainian president, which requires respect for the territorial integrity of the country and the withdrawal of all Russian troops. Zelenski, for his part, thanked the invitation to participate in the meeting of the Ramstein contact group, and stressed that the visit of the Secretary General marks “a new chapter” in their relations.
However, the Ukrainian leader called not to set aside the “ambitious decisions” that are still pending, including kyiv’s accession to the Alliance. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s intention is to continue to strengthen ties with the organization.
NATO is also working to give the country greater military coverage, boosting the production of arms and ammunition within its borders. And it is that the delivery of military material to Ukraine in these fourteen months of war has substantially reduced the arsenals of the allies. European countries are also trying to increase the manufacture of 155-millimeter artillery shells, which are in high demand by the Ukrainian forces.
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