Stoltenberg's visit to Kyiv confirms NATO's course of support for Ukraine

On 28 September, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit. During his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the sides discussed issues of Ukraine's military cooperation with the alliance. Particular attention was paid to strengthening Ukrainian air defence against the background of continuous missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, which are predicted to intensify in the coming winter. Other important issues on the Ukrainian-NATO agenda from intelligence to cyber security were also discussed.

The NATO summit in Vilnius demonstrated the full readiness of the alliance member states to accept Ukraine into their ranks. At this stage, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are undergoing an interoperability programme with NATO allies, the logical conclusion of which will be Ukraine's integration into NATO.

The West stands in solidarity with Ukraine in defence of its independence and sovereignty. The peaceful future and territorial integrity of Europe depend on the outcome of this war: if the Russian army is not defeated in Ukraine, it will move into Europe. Accordingly, Ukraine's integration into the supranational structures of the West is without alternative. The Ukrainian army must be given all the support it needs to bring peace and stability back to Europe.