NATO vows to strengthen defenses as it condemns Russian attack on Ukraine

Following Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine, NATO officials on Thursday said they are bolstering their own defenses in the east even as they condemn the attack that they called “entirely unjustified and unprovoked.”

In a statement, the North Atlantic Council said the invasion violates international law and a number of agreements that Moscow signed, including the 1994 Budapest Memorandum that guaranteed Ukraine’s security if they agreed to hand over their nuclear stockpile — at the time the third-largest in the world.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine and its legitimate, democratically-elected president, parliament, and government,” NATO said. “We will always maintain our full support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally-recognized borders, including its territorial waters.”

NATO officials said the invasion, across several fronts in Ukraine, poses a “serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security” and will have geostrategic consequences. They vowed to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the defense of alliance members.

“We are deploying additional defensive land and air forces to the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime assets. We have increased the readiness of our forces to respond to all contingencies,” NATO said.

The massive Russian advance into neighboring Ukraine has prompted NATO officials to invoke Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, which calls for military consultation among members when the security of any members is threatened.

“We have decided, in line with our defensive planning to protect all Allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defense across the Alliance,” NATO officials said. “We stand united to defend each other.”