NATO ministerial continues in Brussels. According to the existing information, the list of challenges also includes threats from Russia

During yesterday’s press-conference NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg once again confirmed that Ukraine and Georgia are close partners of the Alliance.

“NATO has increased its presence in the Black Sea region with three littoral states: Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria are NATO members, and then two: Ukraine and Georgia are close NATO partners. We have increased our presence on land, at sea, in the air, but we have also stepped up the cooperation with close and highly valued partners - Georgia and Ukraine.

We will continue to do so, and we are looking into how we can further strengthen the partnership both the political and the practical support, and we also welcome the fact that both Ukraine and Georgia are providing support and help to different NATO missions and operations. 

So the main message, again a part of the NATO 2030 agenda is, how can we further do more, how can you strengthen partnership with neighbours, because it is in our interest that our neighbors are stable and successful, and, both Ukraine and Georgia are actually aspirant countries for NATO membership and we support them also in implementing reforms, so they can move forward on the Euro-Atlantic path.

Well I think the best way for us to send a clear message to Russia is partly that we have implemented the biggest reinforcements of our collected defense, since the end of the Cold War. With new battlegroups in the eastern part of the Alliance, with high readiness of our forces, we have increased defence spending, with more exercises, and with stepping up our cooperation with partners like Georgia and Ukraine. I think that sends a very clear message to any potential adversary to NATO”, - said Jens Stoltenberg.