US Secretary of State Blinken insists ‘Ukraine will become a member of NATO’
At a conference commemorating NATO’s 75th anniversary, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that Ukraine’s accession to the alliance is imminent, and that the primary objective of the summit in Brussels was to advance Ukraine’s membership process.
During the gathering, NATO members lauded the resolve and resilience of Ukrainians and pledged to sustain their assistance to the country. However, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated that the alliance does not see itself as directly engaged in the conflict.
“We have no intention of deploying NATO combat forces within Ukraine,” Stoltenberg affirmed. “While Ukrainians are requesting equipment, ammunition, and weaponry, we are furnishing these to Ukraine. This does not implicate NATO allies in the conflict, but rather reflects our support for Ukraine’s right to self-defense.” This week, NATO’s leading diplomats reaffirmed their commitment to backing Ukraine as Russian forces, better equipped, assert dominance on the battlefield.
Faced with shortages of ammunition, Ukraine has reduced the military conscription age from 27 to 25 to bolster its depleted armed forces and is seeking additional air defenses to counter Russian ballistic missile assaults.
“I did not wish to cast a shadow on NATO’s celebratory occasion, but I felt compelled to convey a sobering account on behalf of Ukrainians regarding the ongoing Russian air strikes on my nation, which have crippled our energy infrastructure, economy, and resulted in civilian casualties,” remarked Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who participated in the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting.
Before meeting with Kuleba, Antony Blinken affirmed that “the unwavering support for Ukraine, demonstrated by every nation represented here at NATO, remains steadfast.”
“We will do everything we can, allies will do everything that they can, to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to continue to deal with Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, aggression that is getting worse with every passing day,” he said.
