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Zelensky asks for more weapons as NATO chief visits Kiev

Thursday, 20 April 2023 10:11 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 20 April 2023 10:23 PM ]

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a joint news briefing in Kiev, Ukraine April 20, 2023. (Photo by Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the visiting North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General to help Kiev gain access to more weapons to continue its war against Russia.

Zelensky told Jens Stoltenberg, who on Thursday made his first visit to Kiev, that Ukraine needed more weapons to fight Russia.

The Ukrainian politician also told Stoltenberg that it was time for NATO to offer the eastern European country membership in the US-led Western military bloc.

For his part, Stoltenberg claimed Ukraine's rightful place was in the Western military alliance and that membership and security guarantees for Ukraine would be high on the agenda of NATO's summit in July.

"Ukraine's rightful place is in the Euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Zelensky.

Stoltenberg added that, over time, the support of member states "will help make this possible".

Stoltenberg mentioned an initiative that will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards and values, reflecting "the Alliance's long-term commitment to Ukraine."

NATO members have already given full support to Kiev since the war broke out in February 2022.

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The West has given all-out support to Kiev by providing Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons and munitions to fight Russia while vowing to provide more support.

Despite the entire West’s backing, Washington has serious concerns about Ukraine's capacity to fight Russia.

In the meantime, Russia sees Ukraine's NATO membership as a red line for Moscow.

Russia has more than once protested against the former Soviet state joining the Western military alliance, reiterating Moscow's opposition to NATO's expansion as a clear threat to the Russian nation.

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At one of his press conferences, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that one of Moscow's objectives for launching its special military operation in eastern Ukraine was to prevent Kiev from joining NATO.

Peskov clarified that Ukraine's membership in the Western Alliance would "represent a serious and significant danger to our country's security."

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