“I think we need to remember that Ukraine is a very close partner.
We provide her with support.
However, the clause on the collective defense of NATO does not cover Ukraine, because it is not a member of the alliance, they are partners, ”he said at a briefing.
Stoltenberg recalled that while 30 states in the bloc are protected by this principle, 28 of them are in Europe.
“An attack on one NATO ally will provoke a response from the entire alliance,” he recalled.
On December 1, Jens Stoltenberg urged not to confuse partners and members of the alliance.
He recalled that Ukraine can only count on the support of the bloc, and not on "security guarantees and collective defense."
Also, US President Joe Biden recalled that the NATO collective defense principle does not apply to Ukraine.