NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Ukraine’s future entry into the transatlantic alliance should be based on the fact that the country is independent and democratic, which is now threatened by Russian invasion, Reuters reports. Regarding Russia’s announcement that it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Stoltenberg commented that it proved Putin was making “empty promises” as it came just days before Russia and China jointly said countries should not deploy nuclear weapons beyond their borders .

Jens StoltenbergPhoto: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP / Profimedia Images

Stoltenberg said at a press conference after the meeting of foreign ministers of NATO countries in Brussels that Ukrainian forces should have the highest possible level of interoperability with the alliance after the end of the war.

He commented that Russia’s statement about deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus shows that the joint Russian-Chinese statement a few days ago was “empty promises.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement came just days after Russia and China jointly said the countries should not deploy nuclear weapons outside their borders, Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

According to him, this shows that such statements are “empty promises, and we should carefully monitor what Russia is doing.”

Stoltenberg said NATO has yet to see any signs that Russia has acted in any way since Putin’s announcement.

The NATO Secretary General also said that China’s provision of any lethal aid to Russia for the war in Ukraine would be a “historic mistake with profound consequences.”

However, Stoltenberg said Russia is becoming increasingly dependent on China, partly as a result of international sanctions imposed on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

“Trade with China has become even more important for Russia,” he said.

Also at his press conference, Stoltenberg repeated his call for the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Hershkovich, who was arrested last Thursday in Russia.

“This is about freedom of the press,” Stoltenberg said.