By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- On Thursday, in a visit to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized NATO’s staunch support for Ukraine in his comment: “I am here today with a simple message, NATO stands by Ukraine.” The NATO chief added: “We must continue strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces and must ensure security guarantees are in place for Ukraine.” The two held a press conference in the capital Kyiv where Stoltenberg explained that NATO allies to date, delivered over 150 billion euros in support for Ukraine and that NATO will continue to support Ukraine against Russia’s aggression “for as long as it takes.” In his opening remarks at the press conference, Stoltenberg speaking to Zelensky, remarked: “Your personal leadership, the courage of your armed forces and the resilience of the Ukrainian people have inspired us all.”
In his remarks to Stoltenberg, Zelensky said: “We consider it a sign of alliance readiness to open a new chapter with new solutions.” The Ukrainian president referred to four key issues to be discussed during Stoltenberg’s visit. The first issue is the meeting on Friday at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to discuss military support for Ukraine. The second issue is a request for help, regarding “defense matters” Zelensky said, in helping allies overcome their “reservations” about sending crucial military equipment that Ukraine badly needs for adequate defense. The third issue is the NATO Summit in Vilnius which Zelensky said will be a “historical event” and that he is “thankful for being invited.” He added regarding the summit: “There is no objective barrier to prevent from inviting Ukraine into the NATO alliance.” Zelensky said the majority of Ukrainians favor becoming a NATO member. He also said: “The alliance member states, the North Atlantic Security Dimension cannot be imagined without Ukraine and people don’t understand that.”
A final and fourth point Zelensky highlighted is security guarantees to have a “thorough protection for the people of Ukraine and any people in Europe from any aggression.” As Stoltenberg stated: “We do not know when this war will end but we know that Russian aggression is a toxic pattern that must be stopped.” The NATO leader also commented: “We agreed on the importance of a just and sustainable peace and I strongly welcome President Zelensky’s peace plan.” Stoltenberg said that both he and Zelensky discussed “a multi-year support initiative” to assist Ukraine in transitioning from what Stoltenberg referred to as “Soviet -era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards and ensure full interpretability with the alliance.” As Stoltenberg reiterated: “Let me be clear, Ukraine’s rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family, Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.” The NATO chief added: “Over time, our support will help you make this possible.”
