NATO allies agree Ukraine will be a member of military alliance: Stoltenberg

Ramstein (Germany): All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will eventually become a member of the alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, adding that the main focus now is to ensure more support for the country.

On his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion just over a year ago, Stoltenberg said “Let me be clear, Ukraine’s rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO,”.

“The time has come for the (alliance’s) leaders to define the prospects of Ukraine’s acquisition of NATO membership, to define the algorithm of Ukraine’s movement towards this goal, and to define security guarantees for our state for the period of such movement — that is, for the period before NATO membership,” he said.

Stoltenberg said he and Zelenskyy discussed a NATO support program for Ukraine.

“This will help you transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards and ensure full interoperability with the alliance,” Stoltenberg said. “NATO stands with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.”

He noted an announcement Thursday by Denmark and the Netherlands that they plan to provide Ukraine with at least another 14 refurbished Leopard 2 battle tanks by early 2024.

Stoltenberg added that he expected countries to “make new announcements of concrete military support to Ukraine” at a meeting Friday in Germany.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Stoltenberg, who has been instrumental in marshalling support from NATO members, to push for even more from them, including warplanes, artillery and armoured equipment.

The Kremlin has given various justifications for going to war but repeated Thursday that preventing Ukraine from joining NATO is still a key goal of its invasion, arguing that Kyiv’s membership in the alliance would pose an existential threat to Russia.

NATO leaders said in 2008 that Ukraine would join the alliance one day, and Stoltenberg has repeated that promise throughout the war, though the organization has established no pathway or timetable for membership.

Zelenskyy said he was grateful for an invitation to a NATO summit in July in Vilnius, Lithuania, but said his country needs a roadmap for becoming a member.

With inputs from agencies.

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