NATO allies agree Ukraine should join the alliance: Stoltenberg
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According to NATO's Secretary General, the alliance is in agreement on Ukraine's accession and discussed the delivery of different types of aircraft to the country.
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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg answers reporters' questions during a press statement prior to the meeting of the 'Ukraine Defense Contact Group' at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Friday, April 21, 2023. (AP)
NATO allies have all agreed that Ukraine should become a member of the alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday.
Ahead of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group's meeting at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Stoltenberg explained, "I said in Kiev yesterday [on Thursday] that Ukraine's future is in Euro Atlantic family and all NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a NATO member."
He also added that the allies discussed the delivery of different types of aircraft to Ukraine. "On jets, well, allies have delivered, Poland has delivered MiG-29s. There's an ongoing discussion about also other types of jets," Stoltenberg added.
During his visit to Kiev on Thursday, Stoltenberg said that allies were committed to delivering more jets, tanks, and armored vehicles to Ukraine, and estimated that NATO's military aid to Ukraine had topped $165 billion since February 2022.
Stoltenberg reiterated during the visit that Ukraine's place was in NATO but gave no timeline for its accession.
He added that this would be made possible "over time" and assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the alliance was with Ukraine for the long haul to help it transition to NATO standards and ensure its full interoperability with allies.
'NATO accession is independence'
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday expressed his support for Ukraine’s possible membership in the US-led military alliance.
He said NATO allies remain committed to the military alliance's open-door policy, but pointed out that the "first step is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as an independent nation."
Stoltenberg reaffirmed NATO’s backing for Kiev "for as long as it takes," announcing that NATO will "develop a multi-year support initiative for Ukraine" to assist the transition of the Ukrainian army from "Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards."
