NATO Secretary General: "Agreement on Coordinating Ukraine Security Support and Training at Next Month's Summit"

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), announced on the 24th (local time) that an agreement is expected at next month's NATO summit in Washington DC to directly coordinate security support and training for Ukraine.

Stoltenberg made the announcement after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the ?lys?e Palace in Paris. He said, "The most urgent agenda item at the summit is additional support for Ukraine," adding, "We expect to agree at the summit on NATO taking the lead in providing and coordinating security support and training for Ukraine."

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General (left), and Emmanuel Macron, President of France (right) [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Some of the tasks that had been carried out within the framework of the unofficial U.S.-led 'Ukraine Defense Contact Group' (UDCG) will be converted into official NATO missions. This agreement was reached earlier at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting on the 14th.

NATO also proposed a long-term financial commitment to Ukraine. Stoltenberg explained, "Our support does not make NATO a party to the conflict but ensures that Ukraine maintains its inherent right of self-defense as stated in the United Nations Charter."

Additionally, Stoltenberg warmly welcomed the decision by 23 allies, including France, to invest more than 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in defense this year. NATO has set a defense spending target of 2% of GDP for member countries.

Other issues to be addressed at the summit include cooperation with the European Union (EU) and Indo-Pacific partners.