NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at a press conference ahead of the two-day meeting of NATO Defense Ministers, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“So first, I think we need to distinguish between two things. One thing is what we also discussed very much last year and that was the issue of whether NATO should establish a no fly zone over Ukraine and sending NATO planes to enforce no fly zone. That's a very different thing than what is discussed now, and that is the possibility of NATO Allies delivering aircraft to Ukraine so they can use themselves,” he said.
According to him, if NATO was going to send NATO planes to enforce with a NATO presence in the airspace of Ukraine, and no fly zone, that will be direct NATO involvement. The other thing - to provide the Ukrainians with different types of military capabilities that will not make NATO party to the conflict.
“And as you have seen from media, there is now a discussion going on also on the question of aircraft, and I expect that also to be addressed tomorrow at the meetings here in Brussels. But let me add two things and that is that one is speed, urgency. Because whatever the opinion may be about aircraft, that will take time. What is needed now is urgent support for Ukraine… because every day counts,” he said.
He noted that it is important to have a constant consultation among Allies on what new platforms they should provide to Ukraine. In addition, Allies need to be focused on ensuring that the weapons already delivered to Ukraine work. In particular, to ensure that the air defence systems, the artillery, which have been already delivered to Ukraine, have the ammunition, the spare parts, the maintenance, the logistics. Stoltenberg stressed that this is an enormous logistical task that requires deliveries every day.
“Of course it is important to discuss new systems, but the most urgent need is to ensure that all the systems which are already there, or have been pledged, are delivered and work as they should,” he said.
As reported, NATO Defense Ministers will meet in Brussels on February 14-15. The topics of discussion will include the security situation in Ukraine. A meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, hosted by the United States, will also take place at NATO HQ on February 14. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov will participate in the meeting of ministers and in the work of the Contact Group.
Photo: NATO
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