NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Ukraine for the first time since last year’s invasion by Russia, an alliance official said Thursday, according to AP News.
“The NATO Secretary General is in Ukraine. We will release more information as soon as possible,” said an alliance official, who asked not to be identified in line with NATO procedures.
Pictures published by local media showed Stoltenberg paying tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv’s St Michael’s Square.
Apart from the important symbolism of the visit, the exact purpose of Stoltenberg’s trip wasn’t immediately clear. NATO has no official presence in Ukraine. As an organization of 31 countries, it only provides nonlethal support generators, medical equipment, tents, military uniforms and other supplies to the government in Kyiv.
Stoltenberg has been the strong voice of the alliance throughout the yearlong war and has been instrumental in garnering and coordinating support by the 31 members for the embattled nation as it sought to hold on to its territory.
Earlier this month, Finland joined NATO, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. and many other members are providing weapons, ammunition and training for Ukraine’s embattled troops bilaterally and in groups, but NATO as a whole wants to avoid being dragged into any potential war with nuclear armed Russia.
On Friday, Stoltenberg will attend a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.