On 13 April 2021, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba took part in an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission convened at the request of Ukraine in accordance with Article 15 of the NATO-Ukraine Charter on a Distinctive Partnership.
This article of the Charter provides for the possibility of using a crisis consultative mechanism between Ukraine and the Alliance to consult together whenever there is a direct threat to territorial integrity, political independence, or security. Last time this opportunity was used in 2018 after Russia’s attack on Ukrainian navy’s warships in the Black Sea near the Kerch Strait.
NATO allies and Ukraine addressed Russia’s military activity which has significantly intensified in recent weeks in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and along its state border.
Dmytro Kuleba briefed the Allies on Russia’s increasing military build-up, intensified disinformation, and highly belligerent rhetoric of Russian officials threatening Ukraine with war. The Minister shared his assessment of Russia’s motivation and the goals it is trying to achieve. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy offered ten practical steps that NATO Allies could take to support Ukraine.
The Allies unanimously reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They underlined that NATO does not and will not recognize the attempted annexation of Crimea, and condemned Russia’s continued destabilization of the security situation in the east of Ukraine.
The participants of the NUC meeting agreed that NATO’s long-standing policy of supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggressive actions will not change. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who chaired the meeting, affirmed that NATO will continue providing political and practical support to Ukraine.
Ukraine and the Allies called on Russia to end its provocations and threats, deescalate the situation on the ground and immediately recommit to the ceasefire in the east of Ukraine to abide by the Minsk agreements.