Nato boss promises Ukraine will join alliance

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has reaffirmed the military alliance’s commitment to Ukraine, saying the war-torn nation will one day become a member of the world’s largest security organisation.

His remarks came yesterday as US secretary of state Antony Blinken and his Nato counterparts gathered in Romania to drum up urgently needed support for Ukraine aimed at ensuring Moscow fails to defeat the country as it bombards its energy infrastructure.

“Nato’s door is open,” Mr Stoltenberg said.

He stressed that Russia did not have a veto on countries joining, citing the recent entry of North Macedonia and Montenegro into the security alliance.

He added that Vladimir Putin “will get Finland and Sweden as Nato members” soon. The Nordic neighbours applied for membership in April, concerned that Russia might target them next.

“We stand by that, too, on membership for Ukraine,” the Norwegian former prime minister said.

“At the same time, the main focus now is on supporting Ukraine, ensuring that President Putin doesn’t win but that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign nation in Europe.”

In essence, Mr Stoltenberg repeated a vow made by Nato in Bucharest in 2008 that both Ukraine and Georgia would one day join the alliance.

Some analysts believe this promise was partly responsible for the war that Russia launched on Ukraine in February.

But Mr Stoltenberg stated: “President Putin cannot deny sovereign nations to make their own sovereign decisions that are not a threat to Russia. What he’s afraid of is democracy and freedom.”