Ukraine's Western allies on Friday convened at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany to discuss further assistance to Kyiv, in the 14th month of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Speaking ahead of the meeting, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who unexpectedly undertook his first visit to Ukraine since Russia began its offensive in February last year, reaffirmed that Kyiv will eventually join the military alliance.
Once the war in Ukraine ends, Kyiv must have "the deterrence to prevent new attacks," he said in comments reported by Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday reiterated his long-standing call that his country should benefit from fast-tracked admission into NATO.
"There is not a single objective barrier to the political decision to invite Ukraine into the alliance and now, when most people in NATO countries and the majority of Ukrainians support NATO accession, is the time for the corresponding decisions," he said at the time.
NATO and EU allies have so far offered military, humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine. Analysts warn that Kyiv's fast-track bid for NATO membership, launched in September last year, could elude or take years to gain approval, as allies stay wary of further antagonizing Russia.