NATO chief makes surprise visit to Kyiv

Ukraine claimed to have successfully repelled 55 ground assaults in the Donetsk region, including those near the hotly disputed town of Bakhmut…reports Asian Lite News

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday paid a surprise visit to Kyiv, marking his first trip to Ukraine since Russia began its full-scale invasion last year.

Deutsche Welle (DW) reported today that in the Ukranian capital, Stoltenberg paid tribute to those who had lost their lives defending their country against Russian forces. He also reviewed Russian military relics on exhibit at a prominent Kyiv square. The visit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation supremo comes as Ukrainian forces ready for their spring counteroffensive after Russia’s attempts to advance during the winter, particularly in the area around the town of Bakhmut, proved unsuccessful.

The 31-member NATO has vowed to assist Ukraine in defending itself from Russian aggression.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has been urged by Stoltenberg to attend a NATO summit in July, reported the German publication, DW.

With Moscow claiming it had seized four regions of Ukraine, Kyiv began a request to join NATO military alliance.

During the last 24 hours, Russia launched a series of attacks against targets in Ukraine, including 26 unmanned Shahed-136 drones, of which Ukrainian air defences shot down 21, Ukraine’s general staff said on Thursday.

According to Ukrainian forces, some of the Russian airstrikes succeeded in hitting their civilian and military targets. There were also reported casualties among civilians.

Moreover, Ukraine claimed to have successfully repelled 55 ground assaults in the Donetsk region, including those near the hotly disputed town of Bakhmut.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) faces no obstacle in inviting Ukraine to join the military alliance, Al Jazeera reported. He said that it was time for NATO to invite Ukraine to join the military alliance.

“I am grateful for the invitation to visit the summit, but it is also important for Ukraine to receive the corresponding invitation,” Zelenskyy said.

“There is not a single objective barrier to the political decision to invite Ukraine into the alliance and now, when most people in NATO countries and the majority of Ukrainians support NATO accession, is the time for the corresponding decisions,” he added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Ukraine on Thursday to meet with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. During his visit, Stoltenberg underscored NATO’s “enduring support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

“NATO stands with you today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes,” Stoltenberg said, according to the official statement released by NATO.

He further said, “We do not know when this war will end, but we know that Russian aggression is a toxic pattern that must be stopped. So we must continue strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces. And we must ensure that robust, powerful arrangements are in place for Ukraine’s security.” (ANI)

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