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During First Visit To Kyiv Since War Began, Stoltenberg Says Ukraine's 'Rightful Place' Is In NATO

Updated
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (left) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on April 20.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (left) meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on April 20.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has visited Kyiv for the first time since Russia's invasion last year, telling Ukrainians their country's future belongs in the alliance as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy proclaimed that "it is time" an invitation was extended to join the group.

Stoltenberg arrived in the Ukrainian capital early on April 20 on an unannounced visit as fighting raged in the east and Moscow continued to launch attacks with dozens of drones on civilian infrastructure in several regions.

Stoltenberg reaffirmed the alliance's position that Ukraine's future lies in NATO, but stopped short of offering a clear timeline while reiterating that the 31-member bloc will continue to offer support to Ukraine in its fight against the 14-month Russian aggression for as long as necessary.

"Let me be clear: Ukraine's rightful place is in the euro-Atlantic family. Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. And over time, our support will help you to make this possible," Stoltenberg said.

"NATO stands with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes," Stoltenberg said, adding that the alliance had trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and given 65 billion euros ($71.31 billion) in military aid alone.

Moscow has given several reasons for launching what it calls a "special military operation" against Ukraine, including saying several times that it needed to prevent Ukraine's accession to NATO, which would pose an existential threat to Russia.

Following the NATO chief's remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia felt Ukraine's possible NATO membership "brings a serious, significant danger to our country, to its security."

Stoltenberg also invited Zelenskiy to attend a NATO summit scheduled for July in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius.

"There isn't a single objective barrier to the political decision to invite Ukraine into the alliance," Zelenskiy told a news conference with Stoltenberg in Kyiv, adding, "it is the time for the corresponding decisions."

Speaking a day before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Zelenskiy also appealed to the alliance chief to help overcome the hesitancy of some members to provide long-range weapons to Ukraine to help it repel Russian forces.

"I addressed the secretary-general with a request to help us overcome the reluctance of our partners regarding the delivery of certain weapons, namely long-range weapons, modern aviation, artillery, armored vehicles," Zelenskiy said.

Earlier during his visit, Stoltenberg paid his respects at a memorial for fallen soldiers in downtown Kyiv and talked to Ukrainian officials, images published by Ukrainian media outlets showed.

Stoltenberg's visit came hours after Russia used Iranian-made drones for a second day in a row to attack civilian and infrastructure targets, the Ukrainian military said on April 20.

The southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region was targeted by six drones, Serhiy Lysak, the head of the regional military administration, said on Telegram.

"This night, troops from the Eastern Air Command and antiaircraft defense forces downed six attack drones, most likely, [Iranian-made] Shaheds," Lysak wrote on Telegram.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force Command reported that its air defenses had shot down about 10 Iranian-made Russian drones in southeastern Ukraine.

The drone attack was the second in as many days, after swarms of Shaheds were reportedly shot down the previous day by the Ukrainian air defense above the southern port city of Odesa.

Russian surface-to-air missiles hit civilian targets in Ochkiv, a small town in the southern Mykolayiv region, the head of the regional military administration, Vitaliy Kim, said on April 20, adding that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

In Donetsk, one civilian was killed as a result of Russian shelling, the region's military governor, Pavlo Kyrilenko said on April 20.

As Russia Increases Shelling and Air Strikes On Bakhmut, Ukraine Retaliates With Its Own

Ukrainian troops fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-rocket launcher toward Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on April 18.<br /> <br /> Moscow&#39;s forces are stepping up their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, the commander of Ukraine&#39;s ground forces said on April 18.
1/12 Ukrainian troops fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-rocket launcher toward Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on April 18.

Moscow's forces are stepping up their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces said on April 18.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
&quot;Currently, the enemy is increasing the activity of heavy artillery and the number of air strikes, turning the city into ruins,&quot; General Oleksandr Syrskiy said in a statement.
2/12 "Currently, the enemy is increasing the activity of heavy artillery and the number of air strikes, turning the city into ruins," General Oleksandr Syrskiy said in a statement.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
Syrskiy added that the Kremlin&#39;s forces remain committed to taking Bakhmut &quot;at any cost&quot; but were suffering significant losses in the battle.
3/12 Syrskiy added that the Kremlin's forces remain committed to taking Bakhmut "at any cost" but were suffering significant losses in the battle.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
An artilleryman waits in his vehicle as his unit fires a BM-21 Grad multiple-rocket launcher toward Russian positions.<br /> <br /> Despite the brutal combat between Ukrainian and Russian forces, Kyiv&#39;s outnumbered and outgunned fighters are still holding onto the western part of Bakhmut.
4/12 An artilleryman waits in his vehicle as his unit fires a BM-21 Grad multiple-rocket launcher toward Russian positions.

Despite the brutal combat between Ukrainian and Russian forces, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned fighters are still holding onto the western part of Bakhmut.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
Ukrainian artillerymen rest near their vehicles.
5/12 Ukrainian artillerymen rest near their vehicles.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
The capture of Bakhmut would allow Russian forces to advance deeper into the Donetsk region where the industrial cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk await.
6/12 The capture of Bakhmut would allow Russian forces to advance deeper into the Donetsk region where the industrial cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk await.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
A Ukrainian soldier scans the sky with binoculars...
7/12 A Ukrainian soldier scans the sky with binoculars...
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
...while another relaxes by playing an accordion.
8/12 ...while another relaxes by playing an accordion.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
Kyiv admits that its forces have paid a heavy price defending &quot;Fortress Bakhmut,&quot; a city that held around 70,000 people before the Russian invasion.&nbsp;The brutal fighting is being called the bloodiest infantry battle since World War II.
9/12 Kyiv admits that its forces have paid a heavy price defending "Fortress Bakhmut," a city that held around 70,000 people before the Russian invasion. The brutal fighting is being called the bloodiest infantry battle since World War II.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
A Ukrainian soldier uses a drone to locate Russian positions near Bakhmut on April 16.
10/12 A Ukrainian soldier uses a drone to locate Russian positions near Bakhmut on April 16.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
The drone operator views his screen in search of targets to fire on.<br /> <br /> The head of the Wagner mercenary group, which has led Moscow&#39;s attempt to seize Bakhmut, said this month that its fighters controlled more than 80 percent of the city, a claim denied by Kyiv.
11/12 The drone operator views his screen in search of targets to fire on.

The head of the Wagner mercenary group, which has led Moscow's attempt to seize Bakhmut, said this month that its fighters controlled more than 80 percent of the city, a claim denied by Kyiv.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
Smoke rises above a Russian position after it was targeted.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> Kyiv&#39;s military is widely expected to mount a counteroffensive in the coming weeks or months aimed at recapturing Russian-held territory.
12/12 Smoke rises above a Russian position after it was targeted. 

Kyiv's military is widely expected to mount a counteroffensive in the coming weeks or months aimed at recapturing Russian-held territory.
As Moscow's forces increase their use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the devastated eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned soldiers are countering with their own big guns.
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In the east, Moscow's troops continued to press an offensive in Donetsk region with renewed momentum to try and break a monthslong stalemate in the battle for the city of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian defenders meanwhile repelled more than 55 Russian assaults in Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Maryinka -- the theater of operations where the fiercest battles for the Donetsk region have been under way for months.

Ukraine's General Staff said in its daily update that Russian troops had been unsuccessfully trying to improve their tactical positions using a combination of shelling and air strikes.

The battlefield reports could not be independently verified.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
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