NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today, on the first day of his visit to Ukraine, that Russia is still "sending weapons to the separatists" fighting the Ukrainian government despite the ceasefire.
"The situation is very fragile. Russia continues to support the separatists, supplying them with weapons, soldiers and other equipment, and providing support in training," Stoltenberg said, AFP reported.
Stoltenberg spoke with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who admitted that his country is not currently ready to become a member of NATO.
"Current reforms in Ukraine are 99 percent in line with NATO requirements. Is Ukraine ready to become a NATO member now? The answer is no. We have to prepare for that. Is NATO ready to accept Ukraine as a member? No," said Poroshenko after the conversation with Stoltenberg, Tas agency reported.
This is Stoltenberg's first visit to Ukraine.
As planned, Stoltenberg will attend the meeting of the Ukrainian National Security Council tomorrow.
Announcing Stoltenberg's visit, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said earlier this month that the NATO chief was coming as part of efforts to resolve the conflict between pro-Russian rebels and government forces.
"It would be a symbolic first visit," Klimkin told reporters during a visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Klimkin said his government would "fully use the potential of the visit" to strengthen ties and strengthen cooperation with NATO.
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