NATO chief announces new unified command in Germany and more financial aid to support Ukraine
Jens Stoltenberg also noted that these steps "prepare" and "bring closer" the European country for eventual membership in the military alliance, a scenario that Vladimir Putin strongly rejected.
Jens Stoltenberg- Volodomir Zelensky
The secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced a new plan to back Ukraine and prepare it to join the military alliance. Jens Stoltenberg spoke to reporters Sunday and specified the creation of a new command in Germany and the signing of new commitments to maintain financial aid for at least another year.
On the eve of a new NATO summit to be held in Washington, D.C., Stoltenberg said he would create a command post in Germany with 700 people and would be led by a three-star general.
Specifically, the command will take over international support for Volodymyr Zelensky's government in its war against Vladimir Putin's Russia, which is currently managed by an alliance of some 50 members dubbed the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. In turn, the base will oversee training and logistics support for Ukraine.
As for financial support, Stoltenberg spoke of a new commitment among the 32 NATO members to maintain the current level of support for at least another year, which would lay the groundwork for a minimum floor of financial support going forward.
"These are complete actions that actually move [Ukraine] closer to NATO, makes Ukraine ready for NATO,” he said. “I strongly believe that, of course, language matters, but as important, perhaps even more important, is what we do," the secretary-general said in this regard.
"These are agreed NATO commitments to deliver on something which is more accountable and more capable," he added.
Finally, Stoltenberg pointed out that members will address defense spending, which was set at 2% of GDP but, some members expressed difficulties in paying for it.
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