NATO chief: Support for Ukraine shows Russia that “violence and intimidation do not pay”

WASHINGTON – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is “laying the foundation for Ukraine to prevail in its defense efforts against Russia.”

Referring to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Stoltenberg said on July 11 during his final press conference of the NATO summit that the alliance “cannot and will not allow this to happen again.”

“Violence and intimidation do not pay,” he said.

NATO heads of state and government have come together to make Ukraine “stronger and more capable” and to “build a bridge” for the country’s eventual NATO membership, Stoltenberg said, assuring that the alliance will continue to “meet Ukraine’s needs” in the future.

On the final day of the summit, which was intended to underscore NATO’s support for Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO leaders to lift any restrictions preventing Kyiv from using the donated weapons for long-range attacks on Russian territory if they want Ukraine to defeat the Russian invading forces.

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“If we want to win, if we want to prevail, if we want to save and defend our country, we must lift all restrictions,” Zelensky said on July 11 at a press conference together with Stoltenberg.

Zelensky’s comments came a day after NATO announced a major aid package to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion, including the delivery of long-awaited US F-16 fighter jets and the provision of $43 billion in military aid over the next year.

The alliance also stressed Ukraine’s right to defend itself against foreign aggression and to take its own security precautions. It stated that “Ukraine’s future lies in NATO” and that Kyiv would continue to be supported “on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration.”

On July 11, the United States announced it would send Ukraine $225 million worth of military equipment. The package is part of a $61 billion aid package approved in April. The shipment includes a Patriot missile battery, air defense systems and ammunition, as well as artillery ammunition and missiles.

Stoltenberg said in his press conference with Zelensky that while Russia had tried to “dissuade us from supporting it,” the opposite had happened and NATO allies were “actually increasing their support for Ukraine.”

Shortly before attending a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, Zelenskyy described the assistance offered at the summit as a “success”. He repeatedly called on the partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.

But Zelensky stressed that Ukraine needs more control over attacking military targets deep inside Russian territory – especially aircraft attacking Ukraine with glide bombs. Some air bases where these aircraft are stationed are up to 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, he said earlier this week.

Before today’s discussions, Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s government, said that lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of donated weapons would have a “groundbreaking” effect.

“It is simply impossible to fight if there are no restrictions on the enemies,” Yermak said on July 11 at the NATO Public Forum.

Stoltenberg said on July 10 that Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself against invading Russian forces, including by attacking legitimate military targets in Russia.

How Ukraine uses the donated weapons is a decision that individual NATO members must make. Some have said that Kiev could use them to attack Russian territory, while others believe that the donated weapons can only be used within Ukraine.

At the beginning of May, the United States lifted its ban on Kiev attacking Russian territory with US weapons. Britain also relaxed its restrictions at the beginning of May.

Germany has spoken out against the use of NATO weapons for attacks inside Russia and has refused to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles. At the end of May, however, Berlin stated that Ukraine could use the weapons it supplied to defend itself against attacks from positions inside Russia.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told RFE/RL on May 31 that allies must change their view of the war in Ukraine and allow Kyiv to use weapons more extensively.

At the NATO summit on July 11, Landsbergis called for the restrictions to be lifted so that Ukraine could attack the targets from which Russia is firing into Ukraine.

When asked by journalists whether he agreed with a relaxation of the restrictions, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Berlin’s position had not changed.

US President Joe Biden said at a meeting with Zelensky earlier in the day that he was pleased with the announcement of the new aid allocation.

“We will stay by your side, period,” Biden said ahead of the bilateral talks.

In a subsequent statement announcing the aid package, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “As President Biden has made clear, the United States and the international coalition we have assembled will continue to stand with Ukraine.”

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on the sidelines of the summit that Ukraine’s position on the battlefield has improved since the aid package was passed in April.

Sullivan said Russia was “struggling and failing to make a breakthrough” and had suffered significant losses in the meantime, but warned that the coming days “will be difficult” for Ukraine.

A joint statement by NATO heads of state and government on July 10, in which China was described as a “key enabler” of Russia’s war effort, met with sharp criticism in Beijing.

In response to the statement, which also said China posed a systemic challenge to transatlantic security, Beijing accused NATO on July 11 of spreading false information and undermining cooperation between China and Europe.

NATO has responded to their concerns by showing increased interest in building relations with four Indo-Pacific countries – Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea – whose heads of government met with NATO leaders on July 11 to discuss security challenges and cooperation processes.

Stoltenberg highlighted the meeting in his July 10 press conference, telling reporters that NATO leaders agreed to further strengthen their partnerships, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, as concerns grow that China could attack Taiwan and Russia intensifies its security ties with China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

“In this dangerous world, friends and partners are more important than ever. That is why we agreed today to further strengthen our partnerships, especially in the Indo-Pacific. Security is global, not regional. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war is fueled by those who do not share our values,” he said.

Iran and North Korea provide direct military support to Russia, while China supports the Russian war economy, he added.