“Not delivered”
Stoltenberg criticizes NATO countries for the lack of aid
April 29, 2024, 4:32 p.m
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg is traveling to Ukraine for the third time since the start of the large-scale war of aggression. However, he does not have an early membership for the attacked country as a gift in his luggage. Instead, he reminds the alliance states of their promises.
During a visit to Kiev, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg dampened Ukraine’s hopes of an early invitation to join the Western defense alliance. He is firmly convinced that Ukraine has a place in NATO and he is working hard to ensure that Ukraine becomes a member of the alliance, the Norwegian said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, in order to make a decision on admission, a consensus is needed among the 32 alliance members. And he doesn’t expect this to happen until the next summit of heads of state and government in July.
In Kiev, Stoltenberg once again appealed to all allies to further expand their military support for Ukraine. “The NATO partners have not delivered what they promised,” he criticized. The lack of ammunition currently enabled the Russians to make advances at the front. According to him, the attacker also benefits from a Ukrainian lack of air defense systems and long-range missiles. “Serious delays have had serious consequences on the battlefield,” Stoltenberg said
According to the NATO Secretary General, the Eastern European country has been inferior to Russian troops for months due to the blockade of new arms deliveries to the USA. Fewer missiles and drones were shot down than possible. “And Russia was able to advance on the front line,” he said. However, more supplies are on the way to Ukraine.
Zelensky confirmed that the first promised arms deliveries from the USA had already arrived. “But the process needs to be accelerated,” he said. There are no concrete commitments regarding the additional Patriot systems expected from Ukraine. However, there are first steps. “I think as soon as they are in Ukraine we will feel it,” Zelensky said. However, it is important that it does not remain just words. Topics also included stabilization of the front, deliveries of artillery shells and long-range rockets.
“Ukraine becomes a member of NATO”
With regard to possible NATO accession, Stoltenberg at least expressed the hope that Ukraine could be shown at the summit that they wanted to bring it further into the alliance. Among other things, this involves ensuring that the country’s armed forces fully meet NATO standards.
With the words “Ukraine will become a member of NATO,” Stoltenberg also referred to a NATO decision from 2008. At that time, the heads of state and government agreed with regard to Ukraine and Georgia “that these countries will become members of NATO.” .
However, there is currently no schedule for the recording, nor is there an official invitation. According to a summit declaration from last year, NATO will only be able to do the latter “if the allies agree and the conditions are met.” At the time, “additional necessary reforms in the areas of democracy and the security sector” were cited as concrete examples. Stoltenberg’s visit to Ukraine was the third visit since the Russian war of aggression began in February 2022. Like the previous ones, the visit was not announced in advance for security reasons.