NATO Secretary General responds to Russian missile attack on Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (photo: Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the massive missile strike by Russians on Ukrainian cities on the morning of July 8, according to the US Department of Defense website.
Before his meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the head of the Alliance noted that Russia continues its brutal war in Ukraine.
"Only today, we have seen horrendous missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, killing innocent civilians, including children. I condemn these heinous attacks. At the summit, we'll make decisions to further strengthen our support to Ukraine, and Russia must understand that they are not able to wait those out. They need to sit down and accept a solution where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent nation," Stoltenberg emphasized.
The NATO chief also thanked US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for his contributions to strengthening NATO and the transatlantic partnership, particularly for his leadership in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which includes more than 50 countries.
"The Ramstein format has been extremely important, and it really made a difference and enabled us all to provide unprecedented support to Ukraine," added the NATO Secretary General.
According to him, the events in Ukraine demonstrate that security issues extend far beyond the region and are a global problem. Taking this into account, during the NATO summit starting tomorrow in Washington, leaders of Asian-Pacific partners - Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea - will also be present.
"And that's clearly demonstrated in the war in Ukraine, where Iran, North Korea, China are supporting, enabling Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," Stoltenberg added.
Washington NATO Summit 2024
From July 9 to 11, a summit of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) will take place in Washington. One of the key topics for the meeting of the 32 leaders of the Alliance member states will be the support for Ukraine.
During the summit, decisions may be made to strengthen Ukrainian air defense capabilities, as well as discuss the country's future NATO membership.
Participants of the meeting also intend to coordinate a substantial aid package for Ukraine.
Intensive shelling of Ukraine on July 8
On the morning of July 8, Russia launched a large-scale missile strike on Ukraine, firing 40 missiles from multiple directions.
The bombardment resulted in destruction and casualties reported in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, as well as in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region.
In Kyiv, one of the missiles destroyed the building of the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. The attack led to numerous fatalities and injuries among civilians.
For more detailed information on the aftermath of the July 8 bombardment, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
