NATO security guarantees should protect Ukraine from new war – Stoltenberg

Security guarantees or assurances that NATO and certain allied countries can provide to Ukraine after the war's end should strengthen Ukraine's armed forces' capabilities and protect Ukraine from a new Russian attack.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this in Brussels during a press conference before the meeting of the Alliance's defense ministers, Ukrinform reports.

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It should be noted that the Ministry of Defense is confident that Ukraine will receive a plan for joining the Alliance at the Vilnius summit.

On July 11, the NATO summit is to be held in Vilnius, at which, according to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine will expect a clear "schedule of the country's accession" to the Alliance.

According to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine is ready to join NATO. But it makes no sense to participate in the NATO summit in Vilnius if, based on its results, Ukraine does not receive specific signals from the Alliance about when it can join the military bloc.

NATO member countries express different opinions regarding Ukraine's accession. Thus, Germany declared that "the open door policy remains in force," but the country is not ready to talk about Ukraine's membership during a war.

In Poland, it is believed that now Ukraine is fighting in the interests of the Alliance, so it should have a "swift path to accession."

In addition, as the former head of NATO, Anders Rasmussen, stated, if absolute security guarantees are not provided to Kyiv at the Alliance's summer summit in Vilnius, some NATO countries may want to send troops to Ukraine.

In turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said that the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance will not introduce troops into Ukraine's territory until the war's end.