NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a statement after a substantive meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers to prepare for the Vilnius Summit in July, noting they will continue to support their partners facing pressure from Russia, including Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We welcomed Finland as our newest member. And Minister Haavisto took up Finland’s seat among NATO Allies. The Allies also agree that Sweden should become an Ally as quickly as possible.
“We addressed many important topics over the past two days, including how to strengthen our political and practical support for Ukraine. We met yesterday in the NATO-Ukraine Commission with Foreign Minister Kuleba. We agree that our continued military support for Ukraine is essential. I welcome the new commitments made by the Allies. And I expect more,” Stoltenberg stated.
He noted they “do not know when this war will end. But when it does, they must ensure that President Putin cannot continue to chip away at European security.”
“We must enable Ukraine to deter and defend against future aggression. This includes strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces and arrangements for Ukraine’s security. We agreed to start work on developing a strategic multi-year assistance program for Ukraine. A clear demonstration that our support will continue for the long haul. To increase Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO, and to bring it up to NATO standards. This will assist Ukraine on its path to Euro-Atlantic integration. Because Ukraine’s future is in the Euro-Atlantic family. NATO Allies are committed to giving Ukraine what it needs to prevail as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe, to achieve a just and durable peace.
“At the same time, we will continue to support our partners facing pressure from Russia, including Moldova, Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Stoltenberg concluded.
