NATO appoints senior representative to Ukraine

According to RIA Novosti on July 12, in a joint statement after the NATO-Ukraine Summit in Washington on July 11 (Washington time), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg decided to appoint a senior representative of the alliance in Kiev to facilitate coordination with the Ukrainian government.

“The Alliance is strengthening its representation in Ukraine. The Secretary General has decided to appoint a senior NATO representative who will be the bridge for interaction between NATO and the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev,” the statement said.

NATO countries affirmed that they will send an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when the allies reach an agreement, and when Kiev fully meets the necessary conditions.

NATO also agreed to allocate €40 billion to Ukraine in 2025 alone; the country's further financial obligations will be discussed at the next summit in the Netherlands in June 2025.

In addition, the military bloc will consult on the development and deployment of Ukraine's air and missile defense structure.

Earlier, NATO members issued a joint statement after the summit. NATO called on “the world not to support” Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. The joint statement also included a clause on Ukraine’s future in the alliance. Accordingly, NATO countries will continue to support Kiev on its “irreversible” path towards full Euro-Atlantic integration, which includes membership of the organization. NATO also advocates expanding its influence in the Balkans and the Black Sea region.

Reacting to these joint statements, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the statement adopted at the NATO Summit made it clear that Russia's opponents in Europe and the United States are not supporters of peace and dialogue on Ukraine.

According to Mr. Peskov, the North Atlantic Alliance's expansion into Ukrainian territory poses a threat to Russia's security.