Zaluzhnyi cannot join NATO Military Committee's meeting due to situation at front

Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer said this, Ukrinform reports.

“Today's discussion will initially focus on Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Russia has been in what they thought would be a three-day war for 15 months. Goliath has faltered because David has demonstrated outstanding resilience and tactical excellence, with the support of 50 nations around the world,” the admiral said.

Bauer said that on May 9, he received a letter from the Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi. 

“His participation, even via video conference, is impossible given the difficult operational situation in the defense against Russian aggression. Our best wishes to the Ukrainian defenders. We are focused on getting Valerii's assessment from his military representative on the latest developments on the ground, where Ukrainians are fighting for what is rightfully theirs,” the Chairman of the Military Committee added. 

At the same time, the committee members will hear from the representative of Ukraine to NATO, Major General Serhii Salkutsan.

The Admiral welcomed the Finnish Chief of Defense, who is attending this meeting for the first time as a full member of the Alliance, and expressed hope that he will soon be able to say the same to the Swedish Chief of Defense, who is also attending the meeting.

“NATO has entered a new era of Collective Defence, one that requires us to not only defend the physical safety of our 1 billion people & 31 nations… but also the democratic values we all hold dear,” Admiral Rob Bauer tweeted.

Bauer also met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

• On April 24, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that specific mechanisms should be found to allow Ukraine to quickly integrate into NATO.

• On April 27, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that at the NATO summit in July in Vilnius, Ukraine expects to hear when it will be able to become a member of the Alliance.

• Every NATO country supports Ukraine's accession to NATO, but today it is difficult to give an exact timeline.

• Serhiy Zgurets, director of Defense Express information and consulting company, noted that NATO's new concept envisages strengthening the Alliance's military power.

• The European People's Party in the European Parliament called on NATO to send a clear signal to Ukraine at the Vilnius Summit and lay the groundwork for Kyiv's long-term accession to the Alliance.