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NATO defense ministers gathered in Brussels on Thursday to discuss future relations with Ukraine, as Russian aggression has become an obstacle to the country's ambitions to join the alliance. The ministers also attended the meeting of what is known as the Contact Group on Ukraine, which is led by the United States and is made up of 50 countries. The group aims to collect as much weaponry as possible for Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday called on Kiev's allies to make every effort to provide weapons to Ukraine, especially for air defense.
Addressing a meeting of defense ministers of Contact Group member countries, Mr. Austin emphasized that Kiev needs short-term and long-term support.
" Ukrainian forces have shown extraordinary bravery and skill, Ukraine's war is a marathon, not a sprint. So we will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to meet its immediate needs as well as those it needs to ensure security from Russian aggression in the long term. There should be no doubt that we will stay with Ukraine for a long time ," he said.
Secretary Austin noted that the group had provided Patriot, IRIS-T and NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine. But he said Kiev needed more. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance's support for Ukraine has brought changes on the battlefield, while the country has launched a counteroffensive against Russia.
" What we are seeing is a fierce war. It is still early, but we are still seeing that the Ukrainians are making progress and that Ukraine is able to liberate the occupied land. This is because of the courage, bravery and skills of Ukrainian soldiers. But it also emphasizes and demonstrates that the support NATO allies have given Ukraine is actually bringing change on the battlefield ."
Mr. Stoltenberg made the comments at the beginning of a two-day meeting of the defense ministers of the alliance in Brussels, which also discussed the possibilities for increasing production in the field of defense. The NATO meeting in Brussels precedes a head-of-state meeting in Lithuania, in a symbolic show of support for Ukraine and to underline a determination to act if Russian President Vladimir Putin tries to expand the war to the West.
In 2008, NATO agreed for Ukraine to join the organization, but did not set a date for the start of membership talks. With the start of the war, Ukraine applied on September 30 for "accelerated membership" in NATO.
Yes, Secretary Stoltenberg has said that there is no consensus on the country's membership while the war continues. However, the alliance is improving relations with Kiev. The current NATO-Ukraine Commission will be transformed into a NATO-Ukraine Council, giving Kiev an equal seat at the table among the 31 allies. /VOA
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