By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- In Brussels on Wednesday, NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg convened an extraordinary meeting of NATO defense ministers to discuss the war on Ukraine. Stoltenberg said: “At the meeting today, we will also not only address the immediate consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but we will also address the more long-term consequences.” The NATO chief reiterated that the NATO alliance is “united” in its support of Ukraine and that NATO wants to “remove any room for miscalculation” in Moscow about NATO’s willingness to defend all members of the alliance.
Stoltenberg told reporters prior to the meeting that defense ministers are expected to discuss long-term adaptation to a “changed security environment” as well as discussing NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities. Stoltenberg added that Turkey is represented at the meeting by National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. The alliance is specifically concerned with attacks that hit western Ukraine, very close to the Polish border. The NATO chief said that the alliance has over 40,000 troops supported by naval and air capacities on the eastern flank as well as hundreds of thousands of soldiers on high alert across NATO territory because NATO is responsible for ensuring that the conflict does not get beyond Ukraine.
The NATO chief strongly emphasized the alliance support for what he said is Ukraine’s “legitimate and sovereign government.” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov joined the meeting as well as representatives from partner countries of Georgia, Finland, Sweden and the European Union.
