In order to maintain peace and security in Europe, Ukraine should become NATO member after war - Karins

  • 2023-05-25
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - In order to maintain peace and security in Europe, Ukraine should become a NATO member state after war, said Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) after his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday.

The war in Ukraine shows that Russia is not just a theoretical threat to Europe's security. Karins said that when Ukraine wins the war over Russia, frees its territory from the occupants, it should be admitted into NATO, otherwise, it is just a matter of time when Russia again tries to attack Ukraine.

"The allies now are stronger than ever, NATO has already expanded - Finland is its new member and we are expecting also Sweden to join. This means strengthening security in norther Europe, making the Baltic Sea NATO's internal sea," said the prime minister.

Karins underscored that NATO Vilnius summit should ensure further support to implementation of Madrid summit's decisions on a new NATO strategic concept, providing for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to NATO"s Eastern flank.

NATO also should give a signal that Ukraine will be supported for as long as necessary, said Karins.

Similarly, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg emphasized that when the war caused by Russia ends, NATO must ensure that history does not repeat itself, because it is known that this war did not start in February of last year, but in 2014, when Russia invaded Crimea.

"The war is unpredictable, no one can say today when the war in Ukraine will end, but it is important that it ends with the confidence that nothing like this will happen again," Stoltenberg noted.