Obama: NATO must help Georgia, Moldova strengthen their defence

NATO must do more to help Alliance partners - Georgia and Moldova - strengthen their defences, believes United States (US) President Barack Obama.

Speaking from the Estonian capital Tallinn on Wednesday, Obama accused Russia of a "brazen assault” on Ukraine and said the US would continue to offer training and assistance to help strengthen Ukraine’s military.

"NATO must make concrete commitments to help Ukraine modernise and strengthen its security forces. We must do more to help other NATO partners, including Georgia and Moldova, strengthen their defences as well," he noted.

Obama said NATO must leave the door open to new members, without making an explicit reference to any country.

"And we must reaffirm the principle that has always guided our alliance, for countries that meet our standards and that can make meaningful contributions to allied security, the door to NATO membership will remain open," the US President said.