Stoltenberg: NATO has no plans to send troops to Ukraine

2024-02-27 17:27:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, while several Western countries are considering sending military forces to the ground.

Asked by the news agency "The Associated Press" about the possibility of sending Western forces, Mr. Stoltenberg said that "there are no plans to send NATO combat troops to Ukraine."

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said several countries are considering whether to reach a bilateral agreement with Ukraine to send troops to help the country deal with Russian aggression. Mr Fico gave no further details but said his government did not plan to send troops. The Czech Republic also ruled out this possibility.

The head of NATO also told "The Associated Press" agency that "what is happening is Russia's aggression against Ukraine, in violation of international laws. According to international principles, Ukraine has the right to defend itself, and we have the right to support it in defending this right."

NATO as an alliance does not supply Ukraine with military equipment, but supports it with medical equipment, uniforms and equipment for the winter period. But some NATO member countries have sent weapons and ammunition through bilateral or multilateral agreements. Any decision for NATO to send troops must be unanimously supported by all member countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that sending Western troops to Ukraine should not be "ruled out" in the future, as it marks the third year of a large-scale attack by Russia.

"We must do everything necessary so that Russia does not win this war", said the leader of France, during a meeting in Paris. While underlining that "for now there is no consensus" on sending troops, he said that "no possibility should be excluded".

The idea of ??sending troops into the field has been taboo until now, especially as NATO aims to avoid becoming more involved in a war with nuclear-armed Russia.

The Kremlin warned today that conflict between Russia and NATO, led by the United States, would be inevitable if NATO countries were to send troops to fight in Ukraine./ VOA