As NATO prepares to gather on Tuesday for a three-day meeting in Washington to celebrate its 75th anniversary, it is stepping up support for Ukraine in its fight with Russia.
During a press conference with a handful of reporters on Sunday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that all NATO member countries want peace and that it can be achieved if Russian President Vladimir Putin realizes that he cannot win on the battlefield.
“The fastest way to end this war is to lose it,” he said. “But that would not bring peace. It would bring invasion.”
Secretary Stoltenberg outlined the main measures NATO will take, including the creation of a special command in Germany, increased financial and military assistance, and bilateral security agreements.
He highlighted these initiatives by addressing the complexities of Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and the alliance’s united front against Russian aggression.
The exact language of the meeting’s final agreement regarding Ukraine’s possible NATO membership is still being negotiated, he said.
In April, Mr. Stoltenberg said the alliance was not expected to offer Ukraine NATO membership during the summit, but a “bridge” to membership.
At the meeting, that “bridge” will include five essential elements:
Security Assistance Command: NATO is establishing a new command in Germany, with logistics hubs in Eastern Europe, to coordinate international security assistance to Ukraine. According to Mr. Stoltenberg, this will include 700 personnel led by a three-star NATO general.
Secretary Stoltenberg said there were differences between the allies regarding “access or the types of weapons that should be given to Ukraine.” These differences create bureaucratic delays and the goal is to make delivery faster and easier.
“This new command will have a very strong mandate, so there will be no need for consensus on each (weapons) handover,” he said.
Financial Pledge: As of February 2022, NATO allies have provided about $43 billion a year in military support to Ukraine. The next meeting is expected to extend this commitment for another year, laying the foundations for future support.
Immediate shipment of weapons: Announcements are expected at the meeting on the shipment of more weapons and ammunition, especially air defense systems, to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses.
Although Mr Stoltenberg did not elaborate, a senior US official said announcements could be expected from NATO allies this week about sending F-16 jets to Ukraine.
Bilateral security agreements: Twenty NATO allies will have signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine by the start of the meeting, providing additional security guarantees and strengthening cooperative defense efforts.
Interaction: Efforts are currently underway to align Ukraine’s armed forces with NATO standards, including a joint training center in Poland and military procurement programs.
Hungary will not participate, but neither will it hinder actions for Ukraine
Secretary Stoltenberg addressed concerns about Hungary’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine and its ability to block NATO decisions.
He spoke of a recent visit to Budapest, where he secured an agreement with Prime Minister Viktor Orban that Hungary will not stand in the way of proposed support measures for Ukraine.
Budapest will not participate in the new NATO security assistance command for Ukraine, but will fulfill other obligations to NATO and contribute to the joint budget, Secretary Stoltenberg said.
The Secretary General emphasized NATO’s various engagements with Moscow even after the start of the aggression in Ukraine.
He pointed to a recent conversation between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, underscoring the routine nature of such contacts.
Mr. Stoltenberg said that NATO must act united in developing new defense strategies, emphasizing unity despite different views, such as those represented by leaders like Prime Minister Orban.
Future relations with the United States
Mr. Stoltenberg is confident that the United States will continue to be a staunch NATO ally regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, referring to past criticism from former President Donald Trump, mainly on issues of defense spending. than for NATO itself.
He stressed that any secretary general must be able to work with all the leaders within the alliance, comparing NATO to a big family that occasionally gets involved in discussions and disagreements.
Mr. Stoltenberg spoke about his experience working with Presidents Barak Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, noting that regardless of political leadership, the United States has remained a steadfast and committed NATO ally./Voa/
