NATO countries

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said there was a glimmer of hope, though “no certainty,” that the Russian president would shy away from crossing ...

“That’s why we are asking the international community to interfere not just with diplomatic means, but with particular military support and financial support.” During that meeting, Russia’s foreign affairs ministry warned that Helsinki’s accession to NATO would end in “serious military and political repercussions.” But Russia has so far employed only a third of its ready forces, and leaders are bracing for the fighting to intensify and Kyiv to be overrun in the coming days. “The United States, Canada and European allies have deployed thousands of more troops to the eastern part of the alliance,” he said. “We have over 100 jets at high alert operating in over 30 different locations, and over 120 ships from the High North to the Mediterranean, including three strike carrier groups.” After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, that may be poised to change.

NATO chief Stoltenberg says alliance is also beefing up arms support to Kyiv and reinforcing defences on allied areas.

Some of NATO’s 30 member countries are supplying arms, ammunition and other equipment to Ukraine, but NATO as an organisation is not. “We will make all deployments necessary to ensure strong and credible deterrence and defense across the alliance, now and in the future.” We are now deploying the NATO response force for the first time in the context of collective defence,” he said.

Russia has shattered peace in Europe. The people of Ukraine are fighting for their freedom in the face of Russia's unprovoked invasion. We deplore the tragic ...

That was the message from the NATO leaders in the Summit today, is that we are there to protect and defend all Allies. NATO is the strongest military Alliance in the world. NATO Secretary General: Well, some of these forces are already operating, because we have sea and air forces, which are also already part of the NATO maritime forces operating from the Barents Sea down to the Mediterranean. Some are air forces, the air component of the NATO Response Force. And then some of the land forces are… First, you are a statistician and so far with regard the risk, you have already evaluate the risk and the threat against NATO coming from Russia. Particularly you foresee the playbook of Russia. And so, my first question is, what is the risk that this conflict spread? They are close to this, the fighting in Ukraine. And they also border Russia. And they have seen not only the military build-up and the ongoing war in Ukraine, but also seen the very threatening rhetoric. So what we have, what we see is that Russia shows no respect for the NATO-Russia Founding Act. And, of course, if you have a Founding Act between two partners, NATO and Russia, and one part doesn't respect that agreement, the agreement doesn't work. The NATO-Russia Founding Act is based on some core principles enshrined in the Founding Act. And that is the respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries, including, of course, Ukraine. And this has been violated not once, but twice. And also what has changed in your calculation about the threat to NATO territory that has led Allies to make the decision to deploy this for the first time in history, for the purposes of collective defence? And that's reason why we so clearly send the message that we are there to protect all Allies and every inch of NATO territory. Both the protection of our cyber networks but also providing support to Ukraine. And we are very focused on the need for de-confliction. NATO Secretary General: So NATO Allies continue to provide support to Ukraine. And it was actually at the meeting today, at the NATO Summit with EU and Finland and Sweden, Allies announced and also informed all the Allies about the type of weapons, the type of support. And this is the most serious security crisis we have faced in Europe for decades. NATO Allies expressed at the Summit today that they provide support to Ukraine. They are ready to continue to provide support to Ukraine. Military support, financial support, humanitarian support.