NATO will increase practical and political support to Ukraine - Stoltenberg

RIGA - NATO will increase practical and political support to Ukraine and will take decisions to make the alliance even stronger, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at the NATO Summit in Vilnius on Tuesday. 

According to Stoltenberg, the decisions will bring Ukraine closer to NATO where it belongs. Also, bold steps are being planned at the summit to further strengthen deterrence and defense, including new plans and forces in the Euro-Atlantic area. The NATO secretary-general indicated that member states will agree on even more ambitious plans to increase defense spending. 

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in his address at the summit that in Lithuania, freedom has never been taken for granted. In his words, Lithuania is a country where the principle "one for all and all for one" has a special significance. 

"Russia is currently waging a brutal war against a sovereign and independent Ukraine in the NATO neighborhood. Today, allies have gathered in Vilnius to reaffirm the importance of collective solidarity and defense," Nauseda said. 

The Lithuanian president underlined that the allies have gathered at the summit to take bold decisions on how to bolster allied security and defense, help Ukraine win the war and promote partnerships with like-minded countries in other regions. 

As reported, Lithuanian capital Vilnius is hosting this year's NATO Summit on July 11-12.