NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg vowed again yesterday, that NATO’s promise of 2008 that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance would eventually be realized though he couldn’t say when. In a joint press conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Stoltenberg suggested Kiev should continue reforming its military to bring up to NATO standards in any case because even without membership in the Alliance, this is good for Ukraine.
In response to questions, both Stoltenberg and Shmyhal stressed the importance of NATO’s operations on the Black Sea to counter an allegedly aggressive Russia. Shmyhal reported that Ukraine will begin construction of two new naval bases, one of the Black Sea and one on the Sea of Azov. He declared that these bases will be built “as part of our cooperation with Britain, with the U.K., that are also helping us financially so this program is being launched.” Stoltenberg said that the Black Sea is “of strategic importance” for the Alliance, for NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, and for NATO partners Ukraine and Georgia. “At the same time, we have seen a significant Russian buildup in the Black Sea, not least with the illegal annexation of Crimea, and also with more naval presence in the year,” he said. Stoltenberg further stated Ukrainian participation with two U.S. Navy destroyers, the USS Donald Cook and the USS Porter, in recent exercises with the Ukrainian Navy and increased NATO air policing in the region. “So, NATO has increased its military presence in the Black Sea region, because we recognize the great strategic importance of this region for all NATO allies but also of course for our close partner, Ukraine,” he said.
