NATO must refute russia's lies about alliance's involvement in war – US ambassador
russian authorities are trying to spread false narratives about NATO's alleged involvement in russia's war against Ukraine, and the Alliance must counter the worldwide impact of russian claims it is fighting the West on the battlefield.
Julianne Smith, the US Permanent Representative to NATO, stated this at the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum, Ukrinform reports.
"What is unfortunate is that russians have been so successful putting forward a whole series of false narratives as it relates to Nato's role on the ground," she said.
The ambassador said Moscow would "love nothing more" than to point to Nato forces on the ground in Ukraine and that the Alliance must do more to dispel these suggestions.
According to Smith, NATO allies agreed at the beginning of a full-scale war that they would not allow the Alliance to become a party to the conflict.
"The one thing we've agreed throughout this entire war as allies is that we will not allow Nato to be a party to this conflict," she said. "I've seen no cracks in unity as it relates to that policy."
At the same time, almost all countries individually provide humanitarian, economic, and security assistance to Ukraine. However, NATO itself does not coordinate this assistance and does not provide it, Smith emphasized.
"We are not sending NATO troops to Ukraine. There are no NATO commanders there, there is nothing in Ukraine related to NATO assets, and I do not expect that to change," she stressed.
However, according to her, "from time to time in various corners, you hear countries asking questions that reflect russian lies: Is NATO on the ground? Is NATO providing lethal support? Is NATO to blame for this war?"
"We have to ensure that friends and partners around the world understand that [NATO does not participate in the war, ed.]. We've got to get out in the world to have a broader set of conversations with other countries that may be asking whether or not those Russian falsehoods have any relevance or truth," Ambassador Smith said.
