NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Oct. 31 to discuss further cooperation between NATO and Ukraine. Stoltenberg began with the usual condemnation of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and hostile behavior in the region. Opening remarks took place in an informal and friendly atmosphere, with the two leaders smiling and joking with each other.
At the press briefing, the leaders made a joint statement, calling it an “excellent” meeting and stated that they had reached “a new level of cooperation between the Alliance and Ukraine.” Addressing the security situation in eastern Ukraine, the secretary general lauded Zelensky for his country’s steps on the path towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
While NATO applauded the pullback of Ukrainian troops in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote, Stoltenberg also expressed concerns over reports of restrictions against OSCE monitors. Stoltenberg once again called on Russia to end its support for the militants in eastern Ukraine and withdraw its forces and equipment from Ukrainian territory.
The next topic on the table was NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. In 2016, then-President Petro Poroshenko and Stoltenberg signed a Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine. The package includes an array of funds allocated to the country to promote security and carry out essential reforms in the security and defense sectors. Its goal is to achieve interoperability between Ukrainian and NATO forces by 2020.
“NATO Allies and partners have pledged over 40 million euros to support Ukraine in areas such as command and control, cyber defense and medical rehabilitation,” Stoltenberg said.
He then commended the resilience of Ukraine against hybrid threats and cyber-attacks. The secretary-general welcomed key reforms and encouraged Zelensky, assuring that NATO would “continue to provide advice and practical support.”
The joint briefing was also an occasion to address the protection of the rights of national minorities, namely the Hungarian one. Zelensky said Ukraine has already implemented six of seven recommendations of the Venice Commission to amend the law on education for the protection of national minorities.
Relations between Ukraine and Hungary are still tense after a law that makes Ukrainian the language of instruction in schools went into effect on Sept. 28. Hungary has long expressed concerns about the future of the Hungarian minority in western Ukraine, and Budapest even blocked a NATO-Ukraine High Commission meeting and stated it is ready to resist Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration until a modification is made to the law.
When asked by journalists about the disengagement process in Donbas, Zelensky disclosed that Ukrainian troops would start withdrawal in Petrivske on Nov. 4. He also maintained he did not doubt that the meeting in Normandy format would take place if all parties were committed to it.
About Russia’s Nord Stream 2 project, Zelensky said he deplored Denmark’s approval of the pipeline’s construction and stressed that this geopolitical issue “strengthen Russia and weakens Europe.” After months of pressure from Russia, Denmark authorized the pipeline to be built in its water on Oct. 30, a move that brings the controversial project, which threatens gas transit through Ukraine, closer to the completion.
In response to a question about joint military training between Ukraine and the alliance, Stoltenberg responded that NATO was “increasing (…) support in the Black Sea region with exercises, port visits, and information sharing. And yesterday, the North Atlantic Council, all the 29 allies visited four NATO ships in the port of Odesa demonstrating the commitment of NATO allies to Ukraine.”
Top officials from NATO arrived in Ukraine on Oct. 30 for a two-day visit, beginning in Odesa.
In the southern Black Coast city, Stoltenberg underlined NATO’s practical support for Ukraine during a meeting with Vice Prime Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who declared that the country plans to “meet the requirements for membership in the alliance in five years.”
On behalf of NATO, Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s aggressive actions in the Black Sea region. The secretary general also highlighted the alliance’s support for Ukraine’s ambitious reforms, including in defense and security. He added that NATO allies are united in their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine’s membership in NATO is a pressing matter as Russia’s war in eastern Ukraine continues to take its toll. It has been on the agenda since the EuroMaidan Revolution deposed ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, a manifestation of the nation’s desire to embrace Western values rather than stay in Russia’s sphere of influence.
