Poland announces creation of NATO joint mission in Ukraine

America and Russia• April 5, 2024 07:00

(Baonghean.vn) - According to RIA Novosti, speaking in Brussels, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that NATO countries have established a joint mission in Ukraine, carrying out a "common mission".

NATO officers at the opening ceremony of the NATO Kucova air base in Albania. Photo: AP

"We have decided to create a NATO mission. This does not mean that we will go to war, but it means that now we have a common mission, we will be able to use NATO's coordination, training, planning capabilities to support Ukraine in a more coordinated way," the Polish foreign minister said. His speech in Brussels was broadcast by Polish national television.

According to Secretary of State Sikorsky, Ukrainian special forces will receive more intensive training in Poland.

Earlier on April 3, at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, the Polish Foreign Minister announced plans to establish a non-military mission in Ukraine. Mr. Sikorsky noted that this would allow “allied resources to be used to train Ukrainian soldiers, apply alliance logistics methods or other common NATO elements.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that the government welcomes the idea of creating a NATO fund with 100 billion euros ($108 billion) to pay for the supply of weapons to Ukraine. However, in his opinion, implementing this model will be difficult to become a reality.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proposed the creation of a five-year 100 billion euro fund for Ukraine, which will be signed at the alliance's July summit in Washington.

According to Foreign Minister Kuleba, Ukraine supports Secretary General Stoltenberg's proposal for a multi-year fund to help Kiev with 100 billion euros. Mr. Kuleba said that the idea of the fund is that the contributions of alliance members to military assistance to Ukraine will be distributed equally.

Assessing the prospects of approving such a fund, Mr. Kuleba said, “in the current financial model, the chances of this initiative are zero.”

"Because they can't collect 500 million and they would need to collect 20 billion per year under the current model. But if you can figure out the financial formula for mandatory participation of each NATO member, then this idea can exist and have a chance to be implemented," Mr. Kuleba analyzed.