NATO pledges to continue political and practical support to Ukraine and Georgia

NATO needs to be prepared for the security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area posed by Russia's actions and will continue to provide strong political and practical support to Ukraine and Georgia.

“NATO Allies have been tireless in their efforts to work towards a political and diplomatic solution.  We have done so in close coordination with both Georgia and Ukraine.  And NATO’s strong political and practical support for both Georgia and Ukraine continues,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ session with Georgia and Ukraine.

He welcomed the defence ministers of Ukraine and Georgia at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council which will continue today to consider the situation due to the Russian military build-up along Ukraine's borders and related challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.

“As we are meeting today, peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area is under threat.  There are signs from Moscow that diplomacy could continue. But so far, we have not seen any sign of withdrawal or de-escalation. Russia has yet again demonstrated its disregard for the principles underpinning European security and its ability and willingness to threaten the use force in pursuit of its objectives,” Stoltenberg noted.

As reported, NATO defence ministers meet at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on February 16-17.

Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov is taking part through video conferencing.

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