Speaking after a two-day meeting of allied defence ministers in Brussels, Stoltenberg said that NATO members were "working to establish a new NATO-Ukraine Council where Ukraine will be equal to NATO allies."
"We all agree that Ukraine has already moved closer to NATO over the past decade," Stoltenberg told reporters. "We agree that NATO's door is open — that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance. And that it is a decision for allies and Ukraine to make.
He reiterated that Russia cannot stop Ukraine from becoming a member of the transatlantic alliance.
"Russia does not have a veto," he said, as quoted on the nato.int website.
He added: "We do not know when this war ends. But when it does, we need to put in place a framework that ensures Ukraine's future security. And make sure that history does not repeat itself."
Ukrainian forces 'making steady progress' against Russia
Stoltenberg also said in Brussels on Friday that Ukrainian forces "have stepped up operations along the front line" and were "making steady progress," news outlets reported.
"But they face tough terrain, dug-in Russian troops, and fierce fighting," he told reporters. "As Russia's war of aggression continues, it remains crucial that we increase our support."
'2% of GDP for defence as a floor, not a ceiling'
Stoltenberg further stated that he expected NATO allies "to make a more ambitious commitment to defence investment" as they prepared to meet for a key summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month, "with 2 percent of GDP for defence as a floor, not a ceiling."
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Friday is day 478 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, nato.int
