NATO urges the acceleration of aid to Ukraine after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged members of the bloc to speed up the provision of humanitarian aid to Ukraine after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba briefed the ambassadors of NATO member states via video link on the damage caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, which Kiev held Moscow responsible for.
During the meeting, Stoltenberg said the “consequences for thousands of people and for the environment are catastrophic,” and he urged allies to “urgently provide support,” according to a bloc statement.
“The allies have shown their strong solidarity with Ukraine, and many are already providing essential assistance, including water filters, pumps, generators and shelter equipment,” the statement said.
The destruction of the dam, located in a Russian-controlled area, led to floods that submerged 600 square kilometers and forced thousands to flee.
NATO countries led by the United States have already provided Kiev with tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine last February.
Next Thursday, the parties supporting Ukraine will hold a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss the delivery of more arms shipments to Kiev.
NATO defense ministers are also expected to discuss support for Kiev and the thorny issue of Ukraine’s accession to the bloc at a separate two-day meeting.
Stoltenberg said “the importance of immediate, medium and long-term support for Ukraine” would be a “major focus” of the meetings next week.
NATO member states are discussing how to deal with Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc ahead of a summit of its leaders in Vilnius next month.
Kiev and Eastern European countries, members of NATO, are pushing towards giving a clear indication that Ukraine will join the bloc when the Russian war ends.
But the United States and Germany are reluctant to go beyond a vague pledge made 15 years ago that Ukraine would one day become a member.
There are discussions among diplomats about whether it is possible to grant Ukraine security guarantees without moving forward with its inclusion in NATO, such as providing it with deterrent weapons, in order to avoid further Russian aggression when the conflict ends.
