Former NATO leader acknowledges that allies are "somehow" part of the war in Ukraine

Defends a security agreement with kyiv that paves its future accession to NATO

BRUSSELS, 31 Ene. (EUROPE PRESS) -

The former Secretary General of NATO Anders Rasmussen has acknowledged this Tuesday that NATO members "in some way" are involved in the war in Ukraine, by sending military weapons to kyiv, although he has defended that NATO as such is not part of the conflict and will not send troops to the ground.

"NATO is not part of the war. On whether we consider each ally individually as part of the war, partly yes, we should not hide this," Rasmussen said in a speech at the Parliament's Defense and Foreign Affairs committee European Union, to immediately point out that Ukraine has the right to defend itself and to ask its partners for help, so that the military assistance of the allies complies with International Law according to the Charter of the United Nations.

"We should not be surprised that, more or less, we are part of this war to defend Ukraine. This is perfectly in accordance with International Law," he remarked in front of the MEPs.

Rasmussen has stressed that while the progress of the war is being discussed in Europe, human lives are being lost in Ukraine, which is why he has defended sending all the weapons Ukraine needs to wage war against Russia. "We have a responsibility to end the war and the more and heavier weapons and the sooner they are sent to Ukraine, the sooner we can end this war," she defended.

The also former Danish prime minister has lamented that the debates on military aid between allies, including what they exclude from supplying kyiv, has given Russian President Vladimir Putin room for maneuver. However, shortly after he has ruled out the use of nuclear weapons or the presence of troops from NATO countries on the ground.

"Apart from that, I don't think we should exclude anything. A peace with a dictator will not lead to peace but to conflict and war. Because a dictator's appetite knows no end," he defended before MEPs.

The former NATO political chief has advocated a security deal to provide a "framework" for rebuilding and helping Ukraine on its way to the EU and NATO. "The accession will take time and this agreement consists of improving their security now and in the future", he has exposed him.

In order to allow Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian threat, the allies must offer a "sustainable" and "several decades" commitment, he said, after stressing that the plan involves strengthening the capacity of the Ukrainian Army, sustaining military training of Ukrainian troops and develop the country's military industry.

According to the Scandinavian politician, this pact, which does not seek to replace Ukraine's accession to NATO, would avoid divisions between allies when their entry into NATO is debated, understanding that it will help their future entry. "De facto it is a codification of what we already do but with a strategic orientation", he has pointed out.

Despite indicating his commitment to Ukraine joining NATO, Rasmussen has admitted that he sees immediate entry as "complicated" since the Ukrainian authorities could invoke Article 5 and request the military assistance of all allies, pushing NATO into a direct war against Russia. "That is why I think it is better to introduce a security pact and give Ukraine guarantees as the first step that can pave the way for NATO membership," he added.

The former Danish premier has defended that the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory is a condition for sitting down to negotiate with Moscow. "I don't think there will be negotiations that will determine the outcome of the war, it will be the positions on the battlefield," he opined.