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Without prior notice, the highest representative of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, arrived in the Ukrainian capital on April 20 for his first visit to the country since the start of the Russian invasion. During his stay, he met with President Volodimir Zelensky, whom he assured that Ukraine has “its rightful place in NATO.” However, Stoltenberg urged once again to accept permanent membership in the US-led politico-military organization.
Nobody expected it, but this April 20, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), arrived in Kiev, on his first visit to Ukraine since the invasion of Russian troops began, more than one year. The organization maintained that the visit had not been announced for security reasons.
“The NATO secretary general is in Ukraine. We will give more information as soon as possible,” an official from the political-military alliance initially said.
Stoltenberg began his visit with the offering of a wreath in honor of the Ukrainian soldiers who died in the east of the country and reviewed the Russian armored vehicles, abandoned by the invading forces and which are on display in the Plaza de San Miguel in the capital.
Heads bowed before the monument and Ukrainian soldiers, this visit is proof of the organization’s support for Ukraine as the invaded nation prepares to launch a counter-offensive.
After the event, Stoltenberg met with the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, with whom he discussed security issues and gave a joint press conference in this war context.
Right now, Ukraine is the main concern of the Western alliance and will once again be the protagonist at the next summit of allied leaders, which will take place next July in Vilnius (Lithuania). The Ukrainian president is invited to the meeting, although not the country as such, since it is not part of the Alliance.
An endorsement that Zelenski appreciated, but assured that the organization needs to go further to make the eastern European nation a member country, a demand that the Ukrainian Executive has already repeated on several occasions.
“We need something more than our relationship with NATO. We highly appreciate the military aid of the member countries, but we want to know when Ukraine will become a member of NATO. We also want security guarantees on our path of integration into the organization,” he insisted. the mandatary.
Zelensky also maintained that it is necessary for the member countries to send more weapons and accused the fatality of the delays in the shipments that, according to the president, caused deaths among the Ukrainian ranks.
“Ukraine occupies its rightful place in NATO”
In response, Stoltenberg stated that Ukraine occupies “its rightful place” in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and that its membership and security guarantees will be discussed at the July summit.
“Let me be clear: Ukraine has its rightful place in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO. And over time, our support will help make it possible,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference. together with Zelensky.
However, despite the Secretary General’s words, Ukraine joining NATO is a red line for many member countries. In addition, according to the organization, it would not yet meet some of the minimum requirements –such as democratic guarantees and respect for human rights–; and this decision would escalate tensions with Russia.
NATO has stressed on numerous occasions that it is not at war with Russia despite the practical assistance and non-lethal materiel support it is providing, including fuel, medical supplies, mobile satellite systems or pontoon bridges. But accepting Ukraine into their ranks would break this argument.
In fact, it is likely that Russia will not look favorably on Stoltenberg’s visit, since – contrary to the organization’s rhetoric – Moscow considers the Atlantic Alliance to be a hostile military bloc with the intention of invading its area of influence.
In his usual daily conference, this Thursday the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, assured that one of the objectives of the “special military operation in Ukraine” – as Russia refers to the war – was to prevent the former Soviet country from joining the NATO.
“If that were to happen, it would pose a serious and significant danger to the security of our country,” Peskov said.
And it is that Ukraine became independent from the Soviet Union led by Moscow in 1991 and, therefore, Russia considers it as one of its areas of influence. That makes their accession a sensitive issue.
Likewise, from NATO they insist that the first condition for Ukraine to be able to join is to ensure that it prevails as a “sovereign and independent” nation, that is, that it does not succumb to Russia.
However, the organization is already discussing sending more weapons to the attacked country, as are its individual member nations. This Thursday. Denmark and the Netherlands announced that they would jointly donate 14 Leopard 2 main battle tanks, and on April 19, Washington announced an additional $325 million in military aid to kyiv.
With EFE and Reuters
