NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today, Tuesday, that Russia has no right to object to Ukraine joining the Western defense alliance.
“All allies agree that the door to NATO remains open, that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance, and that Russia does not have a veto,” Stoltenberg said in Bratislava during a meeting with NATO’s eastern wing leaders.
Stoltenberg is visiting the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, to participate in a meeting of the heads of the eastern wing of the alliance, in the so-called Bucharest Group of Nine.
The Bratislava talks come before a NATO summit next month in Vilnius, where Stoltenberg said the alliance will make very important decisions.
He added, “We will strengthen our support for Ukraine with a multi-year aid package to help it move from the Soviet era to NATO standards, and bring Ukraine closer to NATO.”
“We must also agree to a stronger commitment to increase defense investment by a minimum of 2% of GDP,” he added.