NATO allies agree on long-term support plan for Ukraine: A development that will prolong the war

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a press conference following the first day's session of the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the year, held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

Following the meeting, which was the first to be attended by Sweden as a NATO member, Stoltenberg mentioned that Ukraine has put up a strong fight against Russia and has reclaimed half of the territory initially occupied by Russia.

Stating that Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition rather than a lack of courage, Stoltenberg said, "In our meeting today, we discussed how to put our support on a more robust and enduring basis. All allies agree on the need to support Ukraine at this critical moment.

There is a unity of purpose. Today, allies have agreed to move forward with planning a greater NATO role in security assistance and training. The details will be shaped in the coming weeks, but make no mistake. Ukraine can count on NATO support now and in the long term,” he said.

Expressing that Russia receives support from China, North Korea, and Iran for its attacks against Ukraine, Stoltenberg said, "As authoritarian powers increasingly align, it is important for like-minded nations around the world to stand together for a global order where the rule of law, not the rule of force, prevails."

"WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR ALLIANCE"

Emphasizing that NATO's 75th anniversary will be celebrated tomorrow, Stoltenberg said, "As we face a more dangerous world, the bond between Europe and North America is more important than ever. As NATO prepares for a historic summit in Washington, it will continue to provide support to Ukraine. We will continue to strengthen our alliance," he said.

100 BILLION DOLLAR CLAIM OVER 5 YEARS

Stoltenberg avoided commenting on reports in the press regarding a claim that 100 billion dollars in support would be provided to Ukraine over 5 years. Responding to a question about how the 100 billion dollar support proposal was received by the foreign ministers of allied countries, Stoltenberg said, "I will not share the details because we are in the process of developing a more robust and enduring institutionalized framework in Ukraine.

What I can say is that we have discussed this issue with Ukraine, with President Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Kuleba, and we will discuss it again tomorrow. We are looking for different ways to ensure our support is less dependent on voluntary and short-term offers and more based on long-term NATO commitments," he said.

Emphasizing that no final agreement on aid to Ukraine was reached at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting and that an agreement was only reached to begin planning the aid, Stoltenberg pointed out that the support for Ukraine would include security assistance, training, and financing. Stoltenberg said, "Economic support for Ukraine is not charity, it is an investment in our own security."

"NATO IS A DEFENSIVE ALLIANCE"

When asked for his comment on Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's statement that his country would not allow NATO to turn from a defensive alliance into an offensive one, Stoltenberg said, "NATO is a defensive alliance and will remain a defensive alliance. NATO will also maintain its position of not being a party to the conflict in Ukraine," he said.

News Source: İHA