NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg underlined on Wednesday that Ukraine is closer to joining the alliance "than ever before," highlighting that the member states will continue to support Kiev on its accession path.
"Allies agree that Ukraine will become a member of NATO," Stoltenberg said during the press briefing in Brussels, adding that the alliance provided "recommendations" on Ukraine's "priority reforms." The secretary-general also praised the member states' efforts to strengthen Ukraine's defense against Russia following the formation of a 20-nation coalition aimed at boosting Kiev's air defense.
Stoltenberg emphasized that Ukraine regained control of 50% of the territory initially seized by Russia and successfully pushed back Russia's Black Sea Fleet. According to the secretary-general, Russia faced 300,000 casualties since the start of the war. However, he warned that Moscow "amassed a large missile stockpile ahead of winter," and there have been several attempts to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
