“We will never recognize Russia's illegal annexations and will continue to support Ukraine,” NATO foreign ministers say

The NATO foreign ministers, who gathered in Bucharest for a meeting this week, released a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and condemned Russia's aggression.

In the joint statement, NATO representatives vowed that their governments will never recognize the Ukrainian territories that Russia occupies as part of Russia itself. They added that Russia “bears full responsibility for this war, a blatant violation of international law and the principles of the UN Charter.”

The ministers also criticized other parties who they saw as aiding Russia in its illegal war. “We also condemn all those, including Belarus, who are actively facilitating Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” they say in the joint statement.

Finland and Sweden also participated in the meeting as states invited to join the alliance.

The ministers also highlighted the meeting they have scheduled with counterparts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Moldova.

Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the alliance, said that the “meeting in Bucharest sends a strong signal of unity and support for Ukraine. NATO is not part of this war, but continues to support Ukraine as necessary.”

Commenting on the latest developments in Ukraine, Stoltenberg said "President Putin is using winter as a weapon and wants to break the will of the Ukrainian soldiers and force the population to leave.”

(Photo source: Nato.int)