Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană stressed the importance of continued support to Ukraine during a ceremony marking two years since Russia's full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in a ceremony at NATO Headquarters on Friday (23 February 2024). Mr Geoană welcomed Ukraine's success on the battlefield since the invasion, and stressed NATO's continuing commitment to the country.
Alongside Natalia Galibarenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to NATO, Mr Geoană said: "Ukraine fights on, determined to prevail… NATO is determined to support you."
Mr Geoană recalled the different kinds of support provided by Allies since the beginning of the war, and stressed that all Allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member of NATO. "I believe in Ukraine. I believe in NATO. And I believe that together we can ensure a more secure future for us all," he said.
The address was followed by a moment of silence and a performance of the Ukrainian National Anthem by Volodymyr Kapshuk, a Ukrainian baritone currently with the Opera National de Paris. After the performance, NATO Ambassadors pinned sunflowers to a map of Ukraine.
