Kuleba: Meetings in Riga to focus on specific steps by NATO allies in support of Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression
Ukraine's invitation to participate in a meeting of NATO's supreme political body in Riga testifies to its importance as one of NATO's closest partners and sends a powerful signal of support for Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said during a conversation with journalists in Riga.
"The Alliance has invited Ukraine and Georgia to this meeting as two closest NATO security partners. This is evidence of the importance of Ukraine and a powerful signal of support in countering Russian aggression. The meeting is also a good opportunity to inform partner ministers about the security situation along the Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories, as well as the relation between attempts at internal destabilization of Ukraine and attempts at another wave of external aggression," the ministry's press service quoted Kuleba as saying in a statement released Wednesday morning.
The minister said that he would hold a series of separate bilateral talks with NATO allies, which would be about not just general support, but about specific steps to strengthen Ukraine in countering the aggressive intentions of the Kremlin. Kuleba noted clear and unambiguous signals already sounded from the United States and NATO, warning the Russian Federation that a new stage of aggression against Ukraine would have a very high price for Russia.
"These statements are a public manifestation of the grandiose non-public work that is now being carried out in Kyiv, Washington, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and other capitals to coordinate a joint set of steps. This is a comprehensive package of containing the Russian Federation, which I have been talking about since the first days of escalation," he stressed.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy added that a general package of containment of the Russian Federation with specific economic and financial instruments will be more effective and efficient than the actions of individual countries.
"I am convinced that the price that Russia will pay in the event of another wave of aggression against Ukraine will be very high. Ukraine, together with its partners, is working to stop the Russian leadership from making false decisions," he assured.
Kuleba recalled that he will leave Riga directly to Stockholm, where he will take part in the OSCE ministerial meeting: "This is an important organization, given its monitoring mission in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. I also use my visit to Stockholm to draw attention to Russia's aggressive actions and mobilizing partners in support of Ukraine."