Ukraine FM Kuleba accuses NATO of 'doing literally nothing' to help Kyiv stop Russia

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday called the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) an institution, which is "completely sidelined" as the Russian war against Kyiv entered its fourth month. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Kuleba accused the intergovernmental military alliance of "doing literally nothing" to help Kyiv deter Russian aggression. "The war is always a test that takes the masks off," he said, expressing resentment towards the 30-nation bloc.

"NATO as an alliance, as an institution, is completely sidelined and doing literally nothing. I am sorry to say it," Kuleba said.

Stressing that "there was a public sentiment that NATO was a strong force" at the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine, he said it was expected that the organisation will play a significant role in deterring the "unprovoked and unjustified" assault on Ukraine, given that Kyiv was looking forward to joining the bloc in order to secure its "territorial integrity." However, "it is doing literally nothing," he added.

Kuleba hails EU's 'revolutionary decisions' in the wake of Russian war

Landing the European Union's efforts to counter Russian aggression, Kuleba said that the union was believed "only capable of expressing various...different levels of concerns." However, Brussels' "groundbreaking and revolutionary decisions, which the bloc did not expect to make" stood out to be massive support for Ukraine. 

For the unversed, the EU has vowed to phase out Russian crude oil imports in six months and refined products by the end of 2022. The union has already sanctioned Russia's largest investment bank Sberbank and the Credit Bank of Moscow from the SWIFT payment system. In its sixth package of penalties, the 27-nation bloc has also cut off Russia's state-owned media from broadcasting on EU satellite and internet networks. Apart from this, the Commission is also reviewing Kyiv's joining the bloc. 

In an apparent reference to Poland, the US, France, and other NATO members who have delivered a massive consignment of weapons to Ukraine, Kuleba accepted "they are helping us." Just for context, the US has delivered around $53 billion in humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine since February 24. On the other hand, Poland has accommodated the majority of Ukrainian refugees forcibly displaced amid war. France has delivered over 800 tonnes of humanitarian assistance since the war began.

Russia is 'blackmailing int'l relations': Kuleba

Scorned by the Kremlin's demand to lift economic and financial sanctions on Moscow to ensure the reopening of the Black Sea ports, Kuleba said, "You cannot find a better example or blackmail in international relations." He rebuffed Russia's claims, warning leaders against believing Moscow. "If anyone is buying it, I think there is a problem with that person, and we shouldn't waste too much time trying to understand why that person is making that point," the Ukrainian FM clarified.

Kuleba's remarks came after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on Wednesday said that Moscow is ready to open a "humanitarian corridor" for vessels carrying food grains provided the West agreed to remove "some" sanctions. For the unversed, Ukraine's Black Sea ports have remained blocked since the Russian invasion. More than 20 million tonnes of grains are stuck in the silos of the country.

(Image: AP)