KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg defiantly declared Thursday that Ukraine deserves to hitch the army alliance and pledged persevering with assist for the nation on his first go to to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion simply over a yr in the past.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Stoltenberg, who has been instrumental in marshaling assist from NATO’s members, to push for much more from them, together with warplanes, artillery and armored tools.
The Kremlin has given numerous justifications for going to warfare, however repeated Thursday that stopping Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO was a key aim behind its invasion, arguing that Kyiv’s membership in the alliance would pose an existential menace to Russia.
NATO leaders stated in 2008 that Ukraine would be part of the alliance one day, and Stoltenberg has repeated that promise all through the course of the warfare — although the group has established no pathway or timetable for membership.
“Let me be clear, Ukraine’s rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family,” Stoltenberg informed a press convention. “Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.”
He stated he and Zelenskyy mentioned a NATO assist program.
“This will help you transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards and ensure full interoperability with the alliance,” Stoltenberg stated. “NATO stands with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”
He famous Thursday’s announcement by Denmark and the Netherlands that they plan to supply Ukraine with a minimum of one other 14 refurbished Leopard 2 battle tanks from early 2024. He added that he anticipated international locations to “make new announcements of concrete military support to Ukraine” at a gathering Germany on Friday.
The preventing in latest months has grow to be a warfare of attrition, with neither aspect in a position to acquire momentum. But Ukraine is predicted to launch a counteroffensive in coming weeks, and it has lately obtained subtle weapons from its Western allies.
NATO has no official presence in Ukraine and offers solely offers nonlethal assist to Kyiv, however Stoltenberg has been the sturdy voice of the alliance all through the warfare.
A procession of worldwide leaders has made the journey to Kyiv over the past yr, and the previous Norwegian prime minister is one of the final main Western figures to take action.
NATO, shaped to counter the Soviet Union, has lengthy feared being dragged into a large warfare with nuclear-armed Russia, however because the West has moved from hesitantly offering helmets and uniforms to tanks, warplanes and superior missile techniques, high-level visits have grow to be routine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Thursday that stopping Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO stays one of the objectives of what Moscow calls its “special military operation.” Speaking in a convention name with reporters, Peskov stated that Ukraine’s accession would pose a “serious, significant threat to our country, to our country’s security.”
Earlier this month, Finland joined the alliance, setting apart a long time of neutrality in a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War safety panorama. While NATO says it poses no menace to Russia, the Nordic nation’s accession dealt a significant political blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Finland’s membership doubles Russia’s border with the world’s greatest safety alliance. Neighboring Sweden is predicted to hitch in coming months, too, presumably by the point U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts meet in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in July.
The alliance has targeted on bolstering defenses by itself territory to dissuade Putin from attacking any member nation. Under NATO’s collective safety assure, an assault on one member nation is taken into account to be an assault on all of them.
On Friday, Stoltenberg will attend a Ukraine Defense Contact Group assembly at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It’s the principle worldwide discussion board for drumming up army assist for the conflict-ravaged nation.
Meanwhile, the Ukraine Space Agency stated Thursday {that a} vivid flash of sunshine in the evening sky over the nation the earlier day was most likely a meteorite getting into the earth’s ambiance. Residents of the capital and several other cities in Belarus noticed the flash of sunshine, which lingered for a few seconds, and an explosion was heard in the Kyiv area. It triggered an air raid alarm in Kyiv.
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Cook reported from Brussels.
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Follow the AP’s protection of the warfare at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
