NATO
April 7, 2022

Doorstep statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba

Question 4: Foreign Minister, I would like to ask you, you say: weapons, weapons, weapons are your priorities today. For you on a personal note, how difficult would it be when some of the NATO Allies tell you that they can’t give you some weapons because they don’t want to plunge the West into a wider war with Russia? And just a word on the support Britain is giving your country.

And Secretary General, can you just remind us what has changed in the last few days in light of the horrors we’ve seen? And do you think partners in NATO, their minds will be changed today from what you’ll hear from the minister?

Minister Kuleba: Yes, there are two ways of approaching the issue of weapons supplies. The first one is when you do not want to supply anything, you come up with the argument: we don’t have to do it because it will pull us or NATO as a whole into the war. The second approach is completely different. This line of thinking is completely different. We will provide Ukraine with all necessary weapons so that we, neither we nor NATO as a whole, will have to fight in this war, because Ukrainians will do it for us. I think the deal that Ukraine is offering is fair. You give us weapons, we sacrifice our lives and the war is contained in Ukraine. This is it. The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of providing Ukraine with all necessary assistance and we deeply appreciate that help.

Jens Stoltenberg: NATO Allies are providing many different types of weapons also heavier systems, advanced systems, and also systems that can shoot down planes and of course attack Russian armour.