Ukraine will get ‘positive message’ on NATO membership bid: Stoltenberg – National | 24CA News
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg mentioned Ukraine would get a “positive message” on its path to membership on Tuesday, as leaders of the Western navy alliance meet to debate the fallout from Russia’s invasion that introduced struggle to their doorstep.
Divisions amongst NATO’s 31 members imply there is not going to be a date or simple invitation for Ukraine to hitch, one thing its Soviet-era overlord Moscow says would threaten its nationwide safety.
But Stoltenberg mentioned Kyiv would get extra navy assist and safety ensures, an easing of formal circumstances to hitch, in addition to a brand new format of cooperation with the alliance, the so-called NATO-Ukraine Council.
“I expect allies will send a clear, united and positive message on the path towards membership for Ukraine,” Stoltenberg mentioned on arriving on the NATO summit he was attributable to host.
U.S. nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan additionally mentioned the gathering would ship a “positive signal” about Kyiv’s membership bid. Diplomats had been upbeat as negotiators had been drawing shut on the ultimate settlement.
U.S. President Joe Biden, talking alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, whose nation is extraordinarily cautious of penalties of Russia’s struggle in Ukraine for jap Europe, reaffirmed Washington’s dedication to the alliance.
“Our pledge to be with you has not wavered,” he mentioned.
The summit can be set to approve NATO’s first complete plans because the finish of the Cold War to defend towards any assault from Russia.
Ukraine fights and waits
Moscow, which has cited NATO’s jap enlargement as a key consider its determination to invade Ukraine almost 17 months in the past, has criticized the two-day summit.
Russia’s state news company RIA quoted a Vienna-based senior Russian diplomat as warning that Europe could be the primary to face “catastrophic consequences” ought to the struggle in Ukraine escalate.
While NATO members agree Kyiv can not be part of in the course of the struggle, they’ve disagreed over how rapidly it might occur afterwards and below what circumstances.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, attributable to attend the Vilnius gathering, has been urgent NATO for a transparent path for Ukraine to hitch as soon as the struggle is over. On Tuesday, he mentioned Ukrainian troops had been protecting Russian aggression from Europe.
“The eastern border of Ukraine, the border of our state and the positions of our warriors are the line that the Russian dictatorship… will never cross again,” he mentioned on Twitter.
NATO members in Eastern Europe have backed Kyiv’s stance, arguing that bringing Ukraine below NATO’s collective safety umbrella is one of the simplest ways to discourage Russia from attacking once more.
Countries such because the United States and Germany have been extra cautious, cautious of any transfer that they worry might draw NATO right into a direct battle with Russia and doubtlessly spark a worldwide struggle.
Czech President Petr Pavel, a former military chief and NATO adviser, mentioned Ukraine lacked air energy and ammunition for its counteroffensive, which was advancing slowly. He mentioned NATO allies should not drag their toes in offering navy assist.
“Whatever is achieved by the end of this year will be the baseline for negotiation,” he mentioned earlier than attending the summit.
Lithuania’s NATO ambassador mentioned the summit would commit 500 million euros a yr in non-lethal assist to Ukraine, together with medical provides and de-mining.
A European diplomatic supply mentioned G7 safety ensures for Ukraine could be introduced simply after the NATO summit. Norway mentioned it might improve navy assist to Kyiv.
“It’s important that they win. It’s important for our common security,” Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt informed Reuters.
Sweden on its manner in
While Ukraine was set to be stored ready, one other nation seemingly secured a breakthrough on its path to NATO membership.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan late on Monday agreed to ahead Sweden’s bid to hitch to his parliament for ratification, showing to finish months of opposition that strained the bloc.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was what prompted Sweden – and its Nordic neighbor Finland – to desert a long time of navy non-alignment and apply to hitch NATO.
Finland grew to become NATO’s thirty first member in April however Sweden’s accession has been held up by a dispute with Turkey, the place Erdogan had accused Sweden of not doing sufficient to crack down on militants that Ankara sees as terrorists.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Erdogan agreed to step up cooperation on combating terrorism. The United States additionally promised to maneuver ahead with the switch of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, Sullivan mentioned.
Biden mentioned he was “not at all” shocked Turkey ended up lifting its veto, and that he was assured Sweden could be voted into NATO.
Back in Kyiv, Ukraine’s navy mentioned Russia launched drone assaults on the southern port of Odessa and the nation’s capital itself in early hours on Tuesday.
(Reporting by John Irish, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Steve Holland, Justyna Pawlak, Andrius Sytas, Krisztina Than, Niklas Pollard, Jason Hovet, Janis ; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alex Richardson)
