Address by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Mr. Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk! Dear members of the Verkhovna Rada! It is a great honor for me to speak and meet with all of you, and it is an honor to visit this building once again.
Seven years ago, I was the first Secretary General to address the Ukrainian Parliament. Today is the third time I have this honor. And for the third time I will quote the great Ukrainian poet Shevchenko again. He said that “our soul does not die, our will does not die. And the hungry will not plow the field at the bottom of the sea”.
Ladies and gentlemen! The freedom of Ukraine cannot, should not, and will never die!
Let me express my deepest gratitude and respect to you all and, through you, to the people of Ukraine. I also pay tribute to your brave men and women in uniform and to all those who have lost their lives. We will never forget this sacrifice.
Here in this hall, along the front lines of the country, Ukrainians are fighting for freedom, defending their land and their families, but also defending democratic values. A legitimate government requires the consent of the people, and legitimate decisions are made with ballots, not bullets. The same values are at the heart of NATO: upholding and enforcing the rule of law, not the law of force.
And it is obvious that moscow does not share these values. In russia, opinion is controlled, freedom is curtailed, and opposition is suppressed. As russia becomes more repressive at home, it becomes more aggressive abroad and increasingly allied with other authoritarian regimes.
A few days before the invasion of Ukraine, president putin and President Xi signed an agreement on a partnership without limits. Today, China supports russia's military economy by providing key capabilities such as semiconductors, microelectronics, and satellite photography. This allows russia to build missiles and produce the bombs they use to kill Ukrainians. In exchange for this support, russia makes its future dependent on Beijing. Meanwhile, in the past six months, North Korea has transferred ten thousand containers with at least one million artillery shells, and Iran has transferred thousands of deadly Shahed drones to russia. In return, russia is providing technology and materials that help Iranian and North Korean nuclear and missile capabilities move forward in a functional manner.
moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang should not believe that they can achieve their goals by using force. They should understand that democracy is strong, that we have a permanent strength and that we stand for our values. That is why Ukraine's struggle is so important: you are fighting not only for yourselves, but for the freedom that we all value. So, let me say from the bottom of my heart: “Thank you very much, Ukraine”.
NATO allies have provided unprecedented support to Ukraine, accounting for 99 percent of all military aid over the past two years. But in recent months, the allies have not delivered the support they promised. For months, the United States has been unable to agree on a support package, and European Allies have delivered far less ammunition than promised. And these delays have consequences. And you know this better than anyone else. russia has more opportunities to fire on Ukrainians and that's why it is making progress. Ukraine lacks air defense, so the russians are hitting targets more with missiles and drones. Ukraine lacks high-precision long-range weapons, and this helps russia to concentrate more forces. But it's not too late, more support is on the way.
I chaired an emergency meeting of defense ministers in the NATO-Ukraine Council a few days ago. President Zelenskyy addressed us and Allies heard Ukraine's call and agreed to step up support. The latest package of over $60 billion from the US Congress was approved, including critical air defense systems and artillery ammunition.
Also last week, we were together in Poland, where Rishi Sunak pledged the largest aid package from the UK, including dozens of combat boats, hundreds of vehicles, thousands of missiles and millions of rounds of ammunition. Germany will provide an additional Patriot system, and the Netherlands is contributing an additional four billion euros. Other Allies are also looking for opportunities to step up their support. I expect further announcements shortly, including on our critical air defense needs.
I have made it clear that if Allies were faced with a choice between achieving their goals with NATO assets or supporting Ukraine, the first choice would be to support Ukraine. And at the same time, we plan to replenish our stockpiles. Stockpiles can and should be replenished. Life is lost and cannot be replenished. In order to replenish our reserves, we need to produce more. So, I welcome the fact that our Allies are stepping up defense production, including working together with Ukrainian companies.
We must also put our support on a stronger long-term basis. At the Washington Summit in July, I expect leaders to agree on a greater role for NATO in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine. And I believe we also need a serious multi-year financial commitment to sustain our support, so that support for Ukraine is not short-term, but long-term and predictable. And this will send a serious and clear signal to moscow that they cannot win and they cannot wait us out.
In order to win, Ukraine needs supplies. And I am confident that Allies will provide them. Ukraine must also do its part. The most important thing is to generate and sustain your fighting forces. So, I welcome the new legislation that will provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the personnel they need.
Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Verkhovna Rada! Ukraine has a well-deserved right to a place in NATO.
The future of Ukraine is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. This is the way that guarantees your security for the long term. Ukraine is a democratic, sovereign and free country, which is anchored in our transatlantic alliance, and that means it is important for the security of all our Allies, the Alliance. And I can't tell you today when Ukraine will join, but the work that we are doing together, particularly on anti-corruption reforms, puts you on an irreversible path to the Alliance.
Unlike the EU, the invitation to join NATO comes at the end of the process. And my ambition is that together we will make Ukraine so strong, so interoperable and so well prepared that when the time is right, Ukraine will immediately become a NATO member. And I look forward to that day with great anticipation and will continue to do everything I can to ensure that it happens as soon as possible.
So, members of the Rada! Ukraine continues to face a terrible test. The democratic world is also being tested. Together, we must overcome this moment for your safety, for our safety, and for the sake of Ukraine's undying freedom.
Thank you. Glory to Ukraine!