NATO Parliamentary Assembly Supports Ukraine in Joining the Alliance

Photo from Ukrinform–UATV

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly believes that Ukraine along with Georgia must be supported in joining the alliance.

In a declaration at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Spring Session in Poland, the lawmakers insisted that the alliance makes “unique and valuable contributions” in tackling complex security challenges, and underlined that an attack on one ally remains an attack on all.

Parliamentarians urged leaders to maintain a dual track Russia policy of defense and deterrence to counter Moscow’s efforts at destabilizing NATO allies and their neighbors. They are still however open to “meaningful dialog.”

They called on leaders to show unity at their summit to be held in July and to demonstrate that the organization remains credible in the face of security threats by Russia and terrorists.

Their declaration also urged leaders to give Bosnia and Herzegovina a reform plan to prepare it for NATO membership.

In regards to terrorism, the parliamentarians want NATO to assist Iraq with non-combat training and capacity-building to help Iraqi forces drive the Islamic State out of the country.

To ensure that the alliance can adapt to evolving security threats, all members were encouraged to live up to their defense spending pledges and move towards military budgets of at least two percent of their GDP by 2024, with 20 percent of that to be spent on new capabilities.