“I am not worried about the constant support of Ukraine by NATO” – the commander-in-chief of NATO forces in Europe

NATO has stable and long-term mechanisms to support Ukraine and protect logistics routes. This was stated by high-ranking officials of the North Atlantic Alliance on January 16 during a press conference following the results of the meeting of the NATO Military Committee and the extraordinary meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, according to a correspondent of Radio Liberty in Brussels.

“We have introduced procedures and created institutions that are designed for long-term work. That’s why I’m not worried about NATO’s continued support for Ukraine,” said the Supreme Commander of the NATO Joint Forces in Europe, General Christopher Kavoli, answering journalists’ questions about the fate of Ukrainian aid after the change of leadership in the United States.

General Kavoli reminded that the NSATU (NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine) mission is already effectively coordinating assistance and has a detailed understanding of the needs of the Ukrainian army. “We are in daily contact with our Ukrainian colleagues. Ukrainian officers work within our structures, which helps us better understand the situation,” Kavoli said.

Logistics for the supply of aid to Ukraine is also protected, the general insisted. The alliance has created infrastructure and appointed personnel responsible for the protection of logistics hubs. The effectiveness of the new system was already demonstrated a few days ago, when Russian drones flew in the direction of Poland.

“Our early warning systems detected them. We brought up the F-35s, in this case the Norwegian ones, which, in conjunction with ground radars and other systems, took these drones to escort. We were ready to act if they entered NATO airspace,” said General Cavoli.

Admiral Bauer, for whom this was the last press conference as the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, emphasized the personal involvement of the heads of defense departments of 32 NATO countries in the Ukrainian issue. They have visited Ukraine several times in recent years and also have “personal relations” with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Sirskyi, the admiral said. “This is not just a distant figure in Ukraine with whom we communicate. This is a person we know personally, there is mutual trust between us,” he emphasized.

“The war will not change because of what is happening in the White House – it will continue on Monday. Therefore, Ukraine needs constant assistance. We all agree that we need to provide Ukraine with the strongest possible position by the time negotiations begin,” added Admiral Bauer.

In early January, Donald Trump held a large-scale press conference where he discussed, in particular, the war in Ukraine, the role of NATO and relations with Russia. Trump said he understands Russia’s feelings about NATO expansion in the context of Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiga stated the need for an “active dialogue”, answering a question about how he considers the statements of the US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the future membership of Ukraine in NATO and that he “can understand the Russian Federation”.