NATO Secretary General wants to invite Ukraine to be member of NATO "at certain stage"
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, has called supporting Ukraine and inviting it to become a NATO member at a certain stage a "good thing" for the Alliance and the US.
Source: Stoltenberg in the broadcast of Fox News, replying to a question about a possible confrontation between Russia and NATO if Ukraine’s NATO membership is promoted, as reported by European Pravda
Details: He stressed that NATO was created to prevent wars.
Quote: "I am from Norway which borders Russia. When Norway became a NATO member state, the Soviet Union called it a provocation. It was not a provocation, it was a right of any sovereign nation to choose its own way. Norway has its right, as do Sweden, Finland and Ukraine."
Stoltenberg added that it is very important that Putin does not achieve his goals in Ukraine since it would become an encouragement for other authoritarian regimes: "Today it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it may be Taiwan".
"So this is a good cause for us and for the US to support Ukraine and invite it to become a full member of the Alliance at a certain stage," Stoltenberg said.
He also stressed the necessity to continue the American support for Kyiv, since it weakens Russia’s potential significantly, and the funds allocated from the American budget are being mainly used in the US since they are spent on the procurement of American weapons.
Background:
- Earlier Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he expected defence and political decisions from the NATO summit in Washington.
- At the Vilnius summit in July NATO refused to invite Ukraine to become a member due to the resistance of the US and German leaders. The summit also concluded that in order to receive the invitation, Ukraine must meet the requirement of the Annual National Programme.
- But at the end of November at the Ukraine-NATO Council meeting, Ukraine presented an adapted Annual National Programme concerning further reforming according to the requirements of the Alliance. NATO member states will assess Ukraine’s accession progress on its basis.
Support UP or become our patron!
