Stoltenberg: Ukraine’s victory in war against Russian aggression is key task for NATO
NATO countries must first ensure that Ukraine wins the war.
Without Ukraine's victory, all efforts to rebuild it as a democratic and sovereign European country will be meaningless. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this today in Brussels during a discussion on the future of the Alliance at the NATO Youth Summit, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"For us, the question of what role NATO can play in rebuilding Ukraine after the war is important. But first of all, we have to ensure that Ukraine wins. Because if Ukraine does not win, then there will be nothing to talk about in terms of rebuilding a European and independent Ukraine. So, the most immediate and most important task is to provide Ukraine with military assistance, which is what NATO and its allies are doing now. We need to continue, but we need to make this support more predictable, more meaningful and more decisive. We will probably make that decision at the NATO Summit in July," Stoltenberg said.
He noted that the future reconstruction of Ukraine will be a very costly process. In this context, preventing destruction is cheaper than rebuilding. Therefore, the more means the allies provide to Ukraine to help it defend itself, the less effort its post-war reconstruction will require.
"Any air defence missile that we can provide for Ukraine will mean less damage, less destruction, and also less need for reconstruction after the war. We must be able to help Ukraine win - it is important for the Ukrainians and for us. Every day that this war continues brings more destruction, and more costs and resources will be needed to rebuild it all. But the prerequisite for this recovery is victory," said the Alliance's chief.
"The sooner Ukraine can win, the sooner this war will end. This will ensure a lasting peace for Ukraine, which will win as a sovereign, independent European state," Stoltenberg added.
He stressed that NATO is already playing an important role in rebuilding Ukraine's defence and security institutions. Allies will continue this work so that Ukraine can not only rebuild its own capabilities, but also become a full member of the Alliance in the future. Stoltenberg recalled that important decisions in this regard were taken at the Vilnius Summit last summer, when Allies shortened Ukraine's path to membership to one step by eliminating the need for a Membership Action Plan, established an important political instrument such as the NATO-Ukraine Council, and adopted a programme to increase the interoperability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with Allied forces.
"Interoperability is important so that Ukraine and its Allies can work together. This programme (of interoperability) helps them now, but it will help them in the future as they build forces that are fully interoperable and integrated with NATO forces. So these are the things that we have to do in the medium and long term to make sure that Ukraine wins," Stoltenberg said.
