NATO to announce new aid to Ukraine before Washington summit - Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Getty Images)
The North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) plans to make decisions regarding the provision of additional air defense systems and the transfer of more ammunition to Ukraine before the summit in Washington, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
According to him, all Alliance members agreed to strengthen aid for Ukraine, including new military training and long-term commitments.
"I also expect that by the summit that starts next week, Allies will make new announcements on more air defense and more ammunition," the Secretary General said.
Stoltenberg also added that NATO would take on the provision and coordination of security assistance to Ukraine. Specifically, a command with logistics centers will be established in Germany, where equipment for training the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be located. The Secretary General emphasized that this will be a significant result of the summit, which will provide a stronger foundation for our support of Ukraine.
"The most important thing we should do is to step up our support to Ukraine to ensure that Ukraine prevails. That's a precondition for any future membership for Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.
He also said that NATO and its allies want peace, and the only way to achieve it is to convince Russian dictator Vladimir Putin that he will not win on the battlefield.
"He (Putin - ed.) has to sit down and accept a solution where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe, and the only way to convince Putin that he will not win on the battlefield is abroad military support to Ukraine. So a negotiated solution that is lasting for Ukraine requires military support to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said.
NATO summit in Washington
From July 9 to 11, the NATO summit will be held in Washington. Support for Ukraine will be one of the main topics on the agenda of the meeting of the 32 heads of state of the Alliance.
Participants in the meeting may decide to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, as well as discuss the country's future membership in the Alliance.
Additionally, according to Secretary General Stoltenberg, a substantial aid package for Ukraine is expected to be agreed upon at the summit.
Meanwhile, Estonian President Alar Karis stated that Ukraine's membership in NATO cannot be a subject of negotiation during the summit, as its path to membership is already irreversible.
