Petro Poroshenko’s Address at the Visby Conference
At a conference in Visby, Sweden, Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s fifth president, highlighted the irreplaceable role of NATO as a security alliance and stressed the critical importance of Ukraine’s membership. He emphasized that Ukraine acts as a de facto enforcer of NATO’s Article 5, protecting European neighbors from hostile actions. Poroshenko, who played a key role in amending Ukraine’s constitution to enable full NATO membership, pointed out that his country is already shouldering the heaviest burden in deterring Russian aggression, effectively serving as NATO’s frontline defender.
Internal and External Challenges Facing NATO
Poroshenko also warned about the dual threats confronting NATO—not only external military dangers but also internal political divisions fueled by populism. While Article 5 safeguards members against outside attacks, it cannot shield the alliance from internal fractures that risk weakening its unity.
“NATO faces challenges not just from outside, but also from populism within,”he remarked. He drew attention to Ukraine’s ongoing brutal full-scale war, referencing atrocities in Bucha, Kharkiv region, and Kherson.
Poroshenko further criticized Europe’s failure to counter Putin’s information warfare effectively, resulting in underestimating the threat posed by Russian aggression.
“I ask: what more must Ukraine endure—after Bucha, Kharkiv, Kherson—to earn the honor of NATO membership?”he urged. He highlighted the necessity of continued and increased support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces and its allies, underscoring that halting the aggressor depends on three pillars: the resilience of the Ukrainian people, the capabilities of its military, and unwavering allied backing.
“Supporting Ukraine’s resistance is an investment in Europe’s security,”he added.
Addressing shifts in Russian military strategy, Poroshenko noted that Kremlin plans to seize Donbas have been repeatedly postponed—from February to June, then August, and now October 2026—due to Ukraine’s effective resistance.
“Russia was forced to revise its strategy because it failed to achieve success on the battlefield,”he explained.
Concluding his speech, Poroshenko called for sustained transatlantic optimism as essential for maintaining NATO’s strength.
“How do we keep NATO strong? By preserving transatlantic optimism and preventing Russia from dismantling it,”he concluded. He praised the cooperation within the Northern Baltic Eight plus Ukraine framework as highly effective, yet reaffirmed NATO as the cornerstone of European security.
Poroshenko’s remarks at Visby underscore the growing partnership between Ukraine and NATO amid ongoing Russian hostility. By highlighting Ukraine’s role as a defender of European security, he urged greater commitment to support Ukraine’s interests within the Alliance’s security agenda. This reflects Ukraine’s increasing influence in European security matters and the urgent need for unity among Western allies in facing Russian threats.
As Poroshenko highlighted the urgent need for NATO's unity against external threats, he also pointed out a significant concern regarding Europe's struggle in the information battle against Russia. To understand the implications of this ongoing conflict and why it matters for Ukraine’s future, read more about how Europe is underestimating the risk posed by Russian propaganda.