NATO to increase military, financial, humanitarian support to Ukraine
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NATO is expanding its support for Ukraine, yet avoiding direct confrontation with Moscow.
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The German army leads NATO exercises in Lithuania as part of a deterrence operation against Russia in February 2017. (Getty Images)
NATO member states are pumping more military, humanitarian, and financial support for Ukraine, the alliance's Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, revealed Sunday.
"NATO allies are stepping up their support to Ukraine partly be delivering military support, humanitarian support and billions and billions of financial support to Ukraine," said Stoltenberg to NBC News.
The NATO chief claimed that the alliance's responsibility was to ensure that the Ukraine crisis did not get out of control and spread beyond the Ukrainian borders.
Read more: NATO expansion destabilized Europe: SA President
"Our allies support Ukraine, but at the same time it is extremely important that we prevent this conflict becoming a full-fledged war between NATO and Russia," Stoltenberg noted, toying with the possibility to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine, although Washington affirmed its disinterest in such a move.
No no-fly zone? Send us aircraft, defense systems: Zelensky to US
If a no-fly zone is too much for Ukraine to ask for, President Volodymyr Zelensky told the US Congress on Wednesday, then Kiev could be given aircraft and S-300 air defense systems.
"Is this a lot to ask for to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people? If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative. You know what kind of defense systems we need - S-300 and other similar systems," he told the US legislative body.
He also stressed that the Americans know how much the battlefield depends on the ability to have access to the airspace. "Powerful strong aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land, aircraft that can help Ukraine, help Europe," he claimed during a videoconference with Congress.
Zelensky noted that Washington knew the equipment existed, "But they are on the ground, not in the Ukrainian sky."
In response, the United States and its NATO allies are sending surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine, including Soviet-era systems, such as the SA-8 and the SA-12 systems, CNN reported Wednesday, citing a senior US official.
The systems are "on the way" to Ukraine, the official added.
