Ukraine deserves to join Nato, says chief Stoltenberg on trip to Kyiv

Nato leaders said in 2008 that Ukraine would join the alliance one day, and Mr Stoltenberg has repeated that promise throughout the course of the war

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, left, meets Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has defiantly declared that Ukraine deserves to join the military alliance and pledged continuing support for the country on his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion just over a year ago.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Mr Stoltenberg, who has been instrumental in marshalling support from Nato’s members, to push for even more from them, including warplanes, artillery and armoured vehicles.