NATO Secretary-General answers whether Ukraine will be able to join the Alliance before the end of the war with Russia

Ukraine's full membership in NATO is not possible until active hostilities end. At the same time, NATO allies will support the country and consistently assist in reforms to bring it closer to membership.

The statement was made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a press conference on the eve of the meeting of the Alliance's defense ministers in Brussels on November 27. According to him, on November 28-29, NATO allies will agree on recommendations for reforms that Ukraine needs to implement to become ready for membership.

"At our meeting, we will agree on recommendations for Ukraine's priority reforms while we continue to support Kyiv on its path to membership," Stoltenberg said.

He also reiterated that Ukraine's full membership "is not possible during an armed conflict."

At the same time, the NATO Secretary-General added that the allies agree that Ukraine will become a NATO member in the future and recalled the assistance that the Alliance provides to Kyiv.

In addition, Stoltenberg said that "some of the most intense fighting" throughout the war in Ukraine "has actually taken place in recent weeks and months." According to him, NATO allies are impressed with the bravery and competence of the Ukrainian military, as well as their ability to strike deep.

"In the east in particular, we are seeing a high number of casualties. Some of the most intense fighting we have seen throughout the war has actually taken place in recent weeks and months. This is happening at the same time that the front line has not shifted significantly. So I think we have to distinguish between the fact that the front line is not moving that much and the fact that there are actually very heavy battles going on," Channel 24 quoted him as saying.

Stoltenberg noted that although the front line has not changed, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are inflicting heavy losses on the enemy in both manpower and equipment.

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