BRUSSELS
\nNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin \u201chas failed to divide us,\u201d stressing Western unity as Russia\u2019s assault on Ukraine enters its second week.
\nHe 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.
\nNoting that the coming days are \u201clikely to be worse,\u201d Stoltenberg said the alliance is discussing next steps and stepping up coordination with Finland and Sweden, two NATO partners but not formal allies.
\nThe fact that Russia shelled a nuclear plant overnight \u201cjust demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it,\u201d Stoltenberg said Friday.
\nIn Europe, Blinken seeks to telegraph Western unity to Putin
\nUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video posted online Thursday, urged Western partners to implement a \u201cno-fly zone\u201d over Ukraine, saying that only such a step could guarantee Russia would not bomb nuclear installations.
\nPressed on whether NATO would heed calls for a no-fly zone, Stoltenberg said the alliance would not consider it because it could spark a \u201cbroader conflict in Europe\u201d and more human suffering. \u201cWe will not be part of the conflict,\u201d he said.
\nIn remarks earlier Friday, Blinken said NATO has come together to bolster the security of member states as the Russian operation unfolds. \u201cEvery ally in one way or another is coming to Ukraine\u2019s assistance,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery ally in one way or another is helping to strengthen NATO itself.\u201d
\nBlinken scheduled meetings Friday afternoon with senior European Union officials and with the bloc\u2019s Foreign Affairs Council alongside counterparts from Canada and Britain. Ukraine\u2019s foreign minister will also call in.
\nIn 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.
\nEuropean diplomats are still weighing further measures. There is an ongoing conversation about cutting Europe\u2019s reliance on Russian oil and gas \u2014 a move that could hit Europe hard, given the region\u2019s reliance on Russian supplies. E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday that Europe and its allies will \u201cconsider everything,\u201d including energy.
\n\u201cOne 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,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, everything remains on the table.\u201d
\nThe E.U. has also promised to supply and finance arms to Ukraine \u2014 a first for the bloc \u2014 but so far has offered few details.
\nFrom Brussels, Blinken is scheduled to travel to Moldova, Poland and the Baltic states to express American support for the countries in proximity to Russia\u2019s military.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BRUSSELS NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin \u201chas failed to divide us,\u201d stressing Western unity as Russia\u2019s 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":247738,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[355,721,1116,633],"class_list":{"0":"post-247727","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-anthony-blinken","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-nato","11":"tag-vladimir-putin"},"yoast_head":"\n