NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a statement to the press after meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins at NATO headquarters.
When asked about supplying F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said, “When and how this will happen has not been decided yet. I think it makes sense to go step by step and should start with the training of Ukrainian pilots first. Then, depending on how the war evolves, it’s about the delivery of planes.” final decisions will be made.” he said.
Stoltenberg made the following assessments about the NATO summit to be held in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, on 11-12 July:
“It is vital that we increase and maintain our support to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a free and sovereign nation. In Vilnius we will also continue to strengthen our own deterrence and defense with new regional defense plans, a new force model and a strengthened command structure. Vilnius’ I expect us to agree on an ambitious new defense investment commitment of 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as the floor, not the ceiling.”