Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before, alliance chief says in farewell talk

euronews (in English)

After a decade at the helm of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg will be replaced by the Netherlands' Mark Rutte from the 1. October. He gave a farewell speech on Thursday where he said "Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before."

Transcript

00:00Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO's door was open for Ukraine to join

00:08and that it was closer than ever before.

00:11He made the comments during a farewell speech reflecting upon his 10-year tenure at the

00:16head of the alliance.

00:19During that time, NATO strengthened its defences from zero to tens of thousands of soldiers

00:24on its eastern flank.

00:26I do not believe that we can change Putin's mind.

00:32But I do believe that we can change his calculus.

00:37By giving Ukraine more weapons, we can make Putin realise he cannot get what he wants

00:46by force.

00:47And make it so costly that he will have to accept Ukraine has a sovereign democratic

00:54right to persist as a sovereign democratic nation.

00:59Stoltenberg will step down from his role as Secretary General at the end of this month

01:04to be replaced by former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

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