Brussels: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the defence alliance agreed to deploy commandos along the borders of its member countries near Ukraine.
Stoltenberg also expressed the intention of continuing sending troops to Ukraine including air defences after Russia launched an all-out invasion of the country.
Without giving considerable details, the secretary-general said that all the 30 members of the alliance announced the types of weapons they would supply Ukraine.
Stoltenberg said, “allies are very committed to continuing providing support. We are now deploying the NATO response force for the first time in the context of collective defence.”
Reiterating the pledge to defend every member of the alliance, the secretary-general further said, “there must be no space for miscalculation or misunderstanding. We will do what it takes to protect and defend every ally, and every inch of NATO territory.”
While commenting on Putin’s call to topple the Zelensky regime in Ukraine, he said, “we see rhetoric, the messages, which is strongly indicating that the aim is to remove the democratically elected government in Kyiv.”
The announcement came after NATO members – ranging from Russia’s neighbour Estonia to the north of conflict-hit Ukraine, to Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast to the south – triggered urgent consultations Thursday about their security amid concerns from the invasion.
The leaders of the alliance vowed to ensure the safety and security of all members states. “We will continue to take all measures and decisions required to ensure the security and defence of all allies,” they said.
Some of NATO’s 30 member countries are supplying arms, ammunition and other equipment to Ukraine, but NATO as an organisation is not. It will not launch any military action in support of Ukraine, which is a close partner but has no clear prospect of joining.
