NATO says Russian aggression against Georgia, Ukraine pushed its enlargement
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, on Tuesday said Russia wanted less NATO on its borders and received more due to its aggression. Photo: NATO
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Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, on Tuesday said the Russian aggression against Georgia and Ukraine had pushed the alliance to add new members and take actions to further strengthen its position on the Eastern flank.
In comments ahead of an official ceremony for accepting Finland as the alliance’s 31st member, Stoltenberg said the international community had been witnessing the growth of Russian military power near Finland and Sweden “for many years”, in addition to the Kremlin’s willingness to use military power against its neighbours.
Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014 and a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. This is the pattern of Russian behaviour, and this is why we are strengthening NATO, our readiness, our positions on the Eastern flank - this is why allies are investing more in new, modern capabilities”, Stoltenberg said.
He noted It was Russia's invasion of Ukraine that had encouraged Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership in May 2022.
“President Putin wanted less NATO on its borders by invading Ukraine, to close NATO's door to new members in Europe - he has got the exact opposite”, Stoltenberg said.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said the alliance’s allied states had agreed to “step up partnership” with partners like Georgia.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the annual NATO-Georgia Commission meeting later today would discuss the country’s existing cooperation with the alliance and plans for future “joint activities”.
NATO remains “committed” to supporting eventual membership of Georgia and Ukraine in the alliance, the latest annual report of the bloc’s Secretary General said on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Russia should withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, noting “they are deployed without these countries’ consent.” He underscored that NATO respects Georgia’s and Ukraine’s decision to apply for membership of the alliance, adding it is the reason why NATO “has engaged in a very strong and close partnership with both these countries.”
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday highlighted a “truly historic day” for NATO as Finland was welcomed into the alliance as its 31st member state.
Javier Colomina, the NATO Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Wednesday said the decision taken at the NATO 2008 Bucharest Summit - where the bloc pledged Georgia and Ukraine would become its members - remained in force for Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday expressed his Government’s “readiness” to further deepen political dialogue and practical cooperation with NATO "in all dimensions".
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, on Wednesday said the alliance would continue to support its partners facing pressure from Russia, including Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the country’s further progress in its NATO integration on the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and subsequent “security challenges” in a meeting with Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Wednesday said the alliance was “fully committed” to Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the “open door” policy and the decision taken at the NATO 2008 Bucharest Summit, where the bloc had pledged Georgia and Ukraine would become its members.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday highlighted that Russia's “aggressive actions” against its neighbouring countries had started not with its occupation of Crimea in 2014, but at least as far back as its 2008 invasion of Georgia.
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, on Friday said the importance of strengthening the partnership with Georgia would be addressed at the upcoming Summit in Vilnius, with Ukraine being “at the top of the agenda” as “there is a full-fledged war taking place” in the country.