NATO’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, believes that some member states of the Alliance may provide Ukraine with military aid. These include lethal weapons that can that can be provided on the basis of bilateral relations with Kiev.

“The Alliance and many countries are helping Ukraine strengthen its defense capabilities. We provide consultations. Some countries, on the basis of bilateral relations, may train the Ukrainian army. NATO however has no weapons. Some countries can provide weapons, including lethal weapons, but that will not be decided by the Alliance,” Stoltenberg said this during a TV interview with the Ukrainian Channel, Inter, which was aired on the 10th of July.

Stoltenberg noted Ukraine’s success in reforming the country's security and defense sectors. “We see progress in reforms, especially in the defense sector,” he said.

Stoltenberg also expressed concern regarding the deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine. He urged all parties to implement the Minsk Agreements. “The only way to resolve the conflict is to fully implement all the points of the Minsk Agreements,” he said.

It was previously reported that on the 9th of July, during the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland’s Minister of National Defense, Anthoni Macierewicz, and Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Stepan Poltorak, signed an agreement outlinining the military and technical cooperation, mutual supplies of military equipment as well as the provision of military-oriented services.

On the 10th of July, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada, Andriy Shevchenko, reported that Kiev and Ottawa will sign an agreement on military-technical cooperation. He said that the final documents will be signed during the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit to Kiev.

Five countries are currently working on providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. This fact became apparent this week during a meeting between the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Andriy Parubiy.

  Ukraine, NATO

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