NATO Remains Committed to Supporting Ukraine: A Call for Peace

Fri Dec 05 2025 08:23:21 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone emphasizes NATO's steadfast support for Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict, highlighting strategic failures for Russia and the necessity for dialogue.

NATO's military committee chair, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, asserts the alliance's unwavering support for Ukraine until a peaceful resolution is achieved. He describes the Russia-Ukraine war as a strategic failure for Moscow, while emphasizing the need for European nations to take charge of their defense. Cavo Dragone expressed confidence in NATO's preparedness to respond to potential threats and reinforced the unity and resilience of the alliance.

NATO will stand with Ukraine up to the day in which we will have them sitting around the table for a long-lasting peace, a senior official from the military alliance has told the BBC.

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO's military committee since January, added that the Russia-Ukraine war seems bogged down from an operational perspective and suggested it was time to negotiate as the situation leads to unnecessary loss of life.

Noting the effects of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which resulted in Finland and Sweden joining NATO, he characterized the war a strategic failure for Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite Russia's slow advances on the battlefield. They will not get a friendly or puppet government like in Belarus. Putin will not succeed, he insisted.

When asked about the willingness of European nations to continue supporting Ukraine's defense, Cavo Dragone expressed confidence, stating it was beneficial that they have experienced a wake-up call and are now taking charge of their defense.

In a significant move, NATO members agreed to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, a shift following urges from leaders including former US President Donald Trump.

Regarding Russia's announcement of long-range, nuclear-powered weapons, the former Italian chief of defense staff dismissed concerns by reaffirming NATO's defensive stance. We are not threatened by them, he stated, emphasizing that the alliance is equipped to defend its 32 nations and their populations.

Cavo Dragone acknowledged the risk of future invasions, particularly in the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—but assured that NATO's Article 5 would be invoked to protect its members if necessary, including the United States, which remains committed to the alliance.

He ranked air defense as NATO's top priority due to recent incursions by Russian drones over Poland and Romania, indicating that advancements like the drone wall on NATO's eastern borders are underway.

Concluding on a hopeful note, Admiral Dragone highlighted the reliability and maturity of NATO, asserting that the alliance is stronger than its adversaries and will remain committed to Ukraine until peace is established.