NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance has no plans to deploy troops in Ukraine. His statement was made during his participation in a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Stoltenberg stressed that NATO's military aid to Kiev is not an act of entering the conflict, but support of Ukraine's right to self-defense.
He emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine, especially in providing air defense systems that are critical to the country's defense capabilities.
Stoltenberg noted the need for long-term and predictable support for Ukraine to remain strong and called for increased vigilance and intelligence sharing to counter Russian efforts to cut off military aid to Ukraine.
According to the Secretary General there are currently no indications that Russia wants to end the conflict. He mentioned that Ukraine is in the process of defining acceptable terms for a peace agreement. Despite the ongoing war, NATO's support for Ukraine remains firm, with the alliance not becoming a direct participant in the conflict.
Stoltenberg also mentioned an upcoming meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, signaling continued dialogue and cooperation. However, he noted that there is no planned meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, as Zelensky's visit is at the invitation of the Belgian government.
NATO's position remains clear - support for Ukraine will continue, but without the deployment of NATO troops. The alliance is focused on providing the necessary assistance to help Ukraine defend itself while dealing with the complexities of the ongoing conflict.