New head of NATO Representation in Ukraine appointed

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on July 17 the appointment of Patrick Turner to lead the mission of the NATO Representation in Ukraine (NRU).

The NRU was first created in 2015 in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine. At the recent NATO summit, the alliance agreed to appoint a senior representative to the NRU, who would act as "a focal point for NATO's engagement with Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv."

Turner previously held other roles in the alliance, including assistant secretary general for operations and assistant secretary general for defense policy and planning.

"Turner brings years of leadership and experience to the role. As a committed public servant, he has a strong track record of delivering results," said Stoltenberg.

"I am sure he will excel in this important role as NATO continues to step up its support to Ukraine."

In response to the announcement, Turner said he was "truly honored to have been appointed as NATO's Senior Representative in Ukraine."

"I look forward to leading the NATO Representation and to working very closely with the Ukrainian authorities and with NATO Allies and partners to help deliver NATO support to Ukraine."

Ukraine can’t wait another 75 years to celebrate NATO accession, FM Kuleba says

Ukraine should become a NATO member sooner rather than later to ensure security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with CNN on July 12.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova