NATO pledges Ukraine membership and Russia support: ‘Keep calm and give tanks’

NATO on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to admit Ukraine as a member of the alliance as Russia steps up its attacks on the country.

Representatives of NATO member states gathered in Romania to drum up support for Ukraine after devastating missile attacks left the country without power in some areas. Some nations pledged military aid to help Kyiv maintain its defense, but most importantly member states pledged to keep Ukraine on track to join the alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said “the door to NATO is open” and stressed that “Russia does not have a veto” on countries joining the alliance.

“We are also betting on Ukraine’s membership,” he said, adding that Russia will see Finland and Sweden as NATO members soon.

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A joint statement by the foreign ministers of Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine underlined the “unwavering commitment and support for Ukraine’s European integration” as well as their “aspirations Euro-Atlantic”.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, participates in a press conference with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde at NATO headquarters in Brussels on 24 of January
(AP/Olivier Matthys)

“A strong, independent and prosperous Ukraine is essential for the future of European security,” the ministers wrote, adding that “the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people for their European choice is unprecedented.”

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In addition to support for expanding the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Ukraine’s New Grain programs, which aim to help prevent widespread starvation after Russia tried to hard-arm the world by holding 30% of supplies hostage world grain, ministers urged support for companies investing in Ukraine and “continue the current trade liberalization” in the country.

A woman with a dog waits for a bus on a street without power after a critical civilian infrastructure was hit by Russian missiles, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on November 23, 2022.
(Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo)

“This is part of our collective responsibility to ensure that justice, human rights and international law prevail,” the minister concluded. “We will continue our close cooperation to ensure strong political and financial support to Ukraine for as long as necessary.”

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Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted that his message to other NATO foreign ministers is “Keep calm and tank.”

Rescuers work near houses heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack in Dnipro, Ukraine, on November 26, 2022.
(Reuters/Mykola Synelnykov)

Some officials and analysts believe that Ukraine’s relationship with NATO, and its potential to join the alliance, played a role in prompting Russia’s invasion, as Putin feared having another NATO ally on their country’s border.

But Ukraine will not join NATO in the near future, as its borders remain disputed with Russia.

Stoltenberg, despite his commitment to support Ukraine’s bid should it apply for membership, was concerned that trying to push ahead with membership now could end up splitting what has so far remained a steadfast alliance unified

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“We are in the middle of a war and therefore we must not do anything that could undermine the unity of allies to provide military, humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine because we must prevent President Putin from winning,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.