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Ukraine’s NATO accession does not depend on bloc’s secretary general — EU’s top diplomat

Jens Stoltenberg pointed out earlier that NATO’s doors remained open to Ukraine

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell AP Photo/Fred Sierakowski

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell

© AP Photo/Fred Sierakowski

MADRID, May 10. /TASS/. A decision on Ukraine’s possible accession to NATO will be made by the bloc’s member states and not by its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in an interview with the La Sexta TV channel on Wednesday.

According to him, Ukraine’s NATO membership "does not depend on the NATO secretary general but the NATO countries." The EU’s top diplomat also emphasized that the issue "is not under consideration" at the moment.

Stoltenberg pointed out earlier that NATO’s doors remained open to Ukraine. He also claimed that all of the bloc’s member states supported Ukraine’s accession but, in his words, it will only be possible to substantially discuss the matter after the conflict is over. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier slammed NATO’s statements about Ukraine’s possible future accession as short-sighted and simply dangerous.

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