Allies are expecting to agree on a new system for backing the war effort after several months where the future of western support seemed well short of certain.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has insisted that his alliance will not be deterred from backing Ukraine’s struggling effort to resist Russia’s invasion of its territory.
Speaking at the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels, Stoltenberg outlined his aims for a meeting between NATO Defence Ministers that will take place on Thursday and Friday.
“Russia’s actions will not stop us from supporting Ukraine,” he said.
“At this meeting, I expect that ministers will approve a plan for NATO to lead the coordination of security assistance and training to Ukraine. Our allies have provided €40 billion in military support to Ukraine each year.
“We must maintain this level of support as a minimum, and for as long as it takes to hasten the conclusion in Moscow that Russia cannot wait us out.”
His comments come a day after Hungary agreed not to veto NATO support for Ukraine – though Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán insisted that his government would provide neither funds nor military personnel for any joint effort.
Next month, US President Joe Biden and NATO counterparts are expected to agree on a new system to provide more predictable, long-term security and military training to Ukrainian armed forces.
Ukraine’s allies are trying to bolster military support for the nation as Russian troops launch attacks along the more than 1000-kilometre front line, taking advantage of a lengthy delay in US military aid.
