Jens Stoltenberg arrives in Kyiv on unannounced visit
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in the Ukrainian capital on April 20, on a visit unannounced in advance.
Stoltenberg was seen by a Kyiv Independent journalist on the morning of April 20 paying tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers on St Michael's Square in central Kyiv.
The visit is Stoltenberg's first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
As Russia's war against Ukraine continues, Kyiv is continuing to push for a clear path to NATO membership.
Responding to the Kyiv Independent at a press conference in Brussels on April 3, Stoltenberg said that "NATO's position remains unchanged and that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance."
"The first step toward any membership of Ukraine to NATO is to ensure that Ukraine prevails, and that is why the U.S. and its partners have provided unprecedented support for Ukraine," he added.
Stoltenberg said on Feb. 15 that the alliance members had pledged new commitments to support Ukraine with heavy equipment and military training at the meeting of the alliance's defense ministers.
Asami Terajima
