NATO chief Stoltenberg visits Kyiv, vows to increase arms flow for Ukraine

Europe, News April 30, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv on April 29, 2024, on a previously unannounced trip. During his meeting with the Ukrainian leadership, Stoltenberg conveyed commitments to provide further military assistance.

The secretary general of the transatlantic military alliance held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and delivered an address to Ukraine’s parliament, the Rada. His third visit to Kyiv, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, arrives amidst a challenging period on the battlefield for Ukraine.

Following an unsuccessful Ukrainian counter-offensive last year, Russian forces have seized the initiative, partly due to a shortage of arms and ammunition from Kyiv’s Western allies.

“I will also be very honest with President Zelenskiy and also with the Rada that NATO allies have not delivered what we have promised over the last months,” Stoltenberg said on the train before arriving in Ukraine on Monday.

Ukraine and NATO have reached the highest level of relations since our independence, but not yet the highest possible level.

And this is exactly what we discussed today with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. We also talked about countering Russian aggression, further… pic.twitter.com/fQdwmyHKL2
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 29, 2024

Under-equipped and tired of the long battle, Ukrainian soldiers have faced challenges in repelling Russian advancements on the battlefield. According to Ukraine’s army chief, they were recently forced to strategically withdraw from three villages in the east, where Russian forces have been steadily advancing. The Russian Defense Ministry asserted on Monday that its forces had also seized control of the village of Semenivka.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy told a joint press conference in Kyiv alongside the NATO chief that the situation on the battlefield directly depended on the speed of ammunition supplies to Ukraine.

“Timely support for our army. Today I don’t see anything positive on this point yet. There are supplies, they have slightly begun, this process needs to be sped up,” he said.

Stoltenberg highlighted that the U.S. Congress has recently endorsed a Ukraine aid package exceeding $60 billion, promptly signed into law by President Joe Biden. Additionally, he noted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement last week of a “record high” commitment to Kyiv.

*^{President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on April 29, 2024. (Image Credit: Presidential Office of Ukraine)}*

He noted that Germany had also agreed to provide another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine while the Netherlands had boosted its military aid to Kyiv. He said he expected other “new commitments to come.”

“The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,” Stoltenberg said.

Presently, Ukraine and its Western allies are hurrying to deploy crucial new military assistance to hinder the gradual but persistent Russian advance across eastern regions and counter-drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy mentioned that new Western supplies have begun arriving but at a sluggish pace. He pushed Western allies to speed up the process as he remarked during the news conference with Stoltenberg.

Russian forces have made incremental gains in recent weeks, particularly in the Donetsk region, employing sheer massive firepower to overwhelm Ukraine’s defensive positions.

Important to visit Kyiv again and meet with President @ZelenskyyUa. The situation is difficult, but it is not too late for #Ukraine to prevail – and more support is on the way. #NATO is also stepping up for the long haul, putting Ukraine on an irreversible path to the Alliance. pic.twitter.com/VbY1F8fBMR
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 29, 2024