NATO appoints high-ranking representative to Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg has decided to appoint the alliance's high-ranking representative in Ukraine.
According to RIA Novosti on July 12, in a joint statement following the NATO-Ukraine summit in Washington on July 11 (Washington time), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg decided to appoint a high-ranking representative of the alliance in Kyiv to facilitate coordination with the Ukrainian authorities.
“The Alliance is strengthening its representation in Ukraine. The Secretary-General has decided to appoint a senior NATO representative who will bridge the gap between NATO and the Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv,” the statement said.
NATO countries have affirmed that they will extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance once the allies reach an agreement and once Kyiv meets all the necessary conditions.
NATO also agreed to allocate 40 billion euros to Ukraine in 2025 alone; further financial obligations for the country 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 defense and missile defense systems.
Earlier, NATO members issued a joint statement following the summit. NATO called on the "whole world not to support" Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. This joint statement also included a clause on Ukraine's future within the alliance. Accordingly, NATO countries will continue to support Kyiv on its "irreversible" path towards full Euro-Atlantic integration, including membership in the organization. NATO also advocates expanding its influence in the Balkans and the Black Sea region.
Responding to these joint statements, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the statement adopted at the NATO summit clearly indicated that Russia's rivals in Europe and the United States are not supporters of peace and dialogue regarding Ukraine.
According to Peskov, the expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance into Ukrainian territory poses a threat to Russia's security.