BRUSSELS
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has failed to divide us,” stressing Western unity as Russia’s assault on Ukraine enters its second week.
He made the remarks at an emergency meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with counterparts from Europe and Canada ahead of meetings at the European Union and visits to Moldova, Poland and the Baltic states.
Noting that the coming days are “likely to be worse,” Stoltenberg said the alliance is discussing next steps and stepping up coordination with Finland and Sweden, two NATO partners but not formal allies.
The fact that Russia shelled a nuclear plant overnight “just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it,” Stoltenberg said Friday.
In Europe, Blinken seeks to telegraph Western unity to Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video posted online Thursday, urged Western partners to implement a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine, saying that only such a step could guarantee Russia would not bomb nuclear installations.
Pressed on whether NATO would heed calls for a no-fly zone, Stoltenberg said the alliance would not consider it because it could spark a “broader conflict in Europe” and more human suffering. “We will not be part of the conflict,” he said.
In remarks earlier Friday, Blinken said NATO has come together to bolster the security of member states as the Russian operation unfolds. “Every ally in one way or another is coming to Ukraine’s assistance,” he said. “Every ally in one way or another is helping to strengthen NATO itself.”
Blinken scheduled meetings Friday afternoon with senior European Union officials and with the bloc’s Foreign Affairs Council alongside counterparts from Canada and Britain. Ukraine’s foreign minister will also call in.
In the week after Russia invaded Ukraine, Europe and allies have rallied together, hitting the Kremlin with an unprecedented package of sanctions and other measures meant to isolate Russia.
European diplomats are still weighing further measures. There is an ongoing conversation about cutting Europe’s reliance on Russian oil and gas — a move that could hit Europe hard, given the region’s reliance on Russian supplies. E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday that Europe and its allies will “consider everything,” including energy.
“One week ago I told you that everything was on the table. And you saw that everything was on the table, because some measures that nobody could have expected have been taken,” he said. “So, everything remains on the table.”
The E.U. has also promised to supply and finance arms to Ukraine — a first for the bloc — but so far has offered few details.
From Brussels, Blinken is scheduled to travel to Moldova, Poland and the Baltic states to express American support for the countries in proximity to Russia’s military.
