Stoltenberg promised Ukraine a “bridge to NATO membership” of five spans
NATO countries are developing five elements of measures that will build a bridge that will lead Ukraine to membership in the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this at a press conference in Washington, PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“I expect the allies to agree on a significant package of five measures. One of them is NATO Command in Ukraine to provide security and training assistance. This is a long-term commitment to continue to support Ukraine.
New announcements of immediate military support, including air defense and new bilateral security agreements between NATO allies and Ukraine.
Finally, we will intensify our efforts to achieve full interoperability between Ukrainian and NATO forces, including with a new training and assessment center in Poland.
Taken together, these five elements provide a strong bridge for Ukraine to NATO membership. And I am confident that the allies will then reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine becoming a NATO member,” Stoltenberg said.
He added that Ukraine is “getting closer and closer.”
“To invite a new ally, we need consensus, and all allies agree that Ukraine will become a member of the EU. But it's too early to say when this will happen. I can say that we are moving together with Ukraine, which is getting closer and closer to NATO membership.
And we do this with concrete actions, because Ukraine's membership, of course, partly depends on the language of the wording. Later we will agree on a NATO declaration on Ukraine’s membership,” the Secretary General promised.
Stoltenberg promised Ukraine a five-span "bridge to NATO membership. "