The head of NATO has revealed that all members of the alliance are on-board with Ukraine becoming a member.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has defiantly declared that Ukraine's "rightful place" is in the military alliance and pledged more support for the country.
Stoltenberg spoke before meeting a Ukrainian defence contact group at an air base in Germany.
He said that after the war in Ukraine ends, Kyiv must have the "deterrence to prevent new attacks".
He gave more context in an earlier interview, saying: “NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member of our alliance. But at the same time that is a long term perspective.
“No-one can tell exactly when this war ends, but when it ends, we need to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself that President Putin cannot continue to attack neighbours, and therefore we need to strengthen the military capabilities of Ukraine, but also look for frameworks that can ensure that President Putin - Russia - doesn't invade Ukraine yet another time.”
Russian warmonger Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened nuclear and large-scale military responses to any inkling of Ukraine becoming a member of the military alliance.
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He has told his domestic audience that a justification for the Ukraine war is to prevent Kyiv becoming a member, and bringing NATO to Russia's borders.
He said that the main focus is now to ensure the country defeats Russia.
In October, Russia repeated its position, with deputy secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Alexander Venediktov, saying: "Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War Three".
President Volodymyr Zelensky last year announced a surprise bid for fast-track membership of the 74-year-old alliance, which currently has 30 members.
Earlier this month, the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly hailed a landmark move to welcome Finland - which borders Russia - into the alliance as proof of its success.
The Cabinet Minister was speaking as he arrived at the coalition’s Brussels headquarters for two days of crunch meetings to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Finland became the 31st NATO member on April 4, having applied to join after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Finland shares a 832-mile border with Russia, so its entry to the alliance more than doubles the size of NATO’s border with Russia.
The move is a strategic and political blow to Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, who has long complained about the nuclear-armed alliance’s expansion toward Russia.
