By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Secretary-General of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday paid a surprise visit to Kyiv for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February last year, an official from the Western military alliance announced.
A local media outlet which published photos of Stoltenberg in the centre of the Ukrainian capital had earlier hinted about the surprise visit, a report NATO also confirmed.
The local media, Kyiv Independent, reported that the NATO chief was seen in Kyiv’s St Michael’s Square, in front of a memorial dedicated to Ukrainian servicemen killed since Russian tanks rolled across the border last year.
Several high-profile officials have visited Kyiv to iterate their support for Ukraine, despite the fighting, including then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a staunch ally.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a trip to the Ukrainian capital three times since February 2022, the latest last month.
NATO has shown its support for Ukraine, with its member states providing Kyiv with military equipment and weapons to fight the Russian army.
This support has increased Ukraine’s strength, allowing it to withstand Moscow.
Russia claims this assistance is proof the US-led military alliance is waging a proxy war against it.
