Today at 20:06
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the United States and European allies remain committed to supporting Ukraine and will continue providing the assistance needed to defend against Russian aggression.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on June 18, Rutte stressed that support for Ukraine remains one of the Alliance’s top priorities, UATV English reports.
“Supporting Ukraine remains a priority. Ukraine has demonstrated that Russia’s war machine is not invincible,” he said, adding that Kyiv continues to change the course of the war.
Rutte said he would reiterate the importance of sustained military assistance during Thursday’s meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format.
He welcomed increased European support through various financial mechanisms and noted that deliveries of U.S. weapons, including critically important interceptor missiles, are continuing.
Commenting on the absence of a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on the sidelines of the June 18 defense ministers’ gathering, Rutte noted that such a meeting had taken place recently and emphasized the importance of the separate Ramstein format.
He also said that support for Ukraine would remain one of the key topics at the NATO summit scheduled for July.
“There is a strong commitment both in Europe and in America to maintain this flow of assistance. I am confident that together we will provide Ukraine with everything it needs to defend itself,” Rutte said.
The NATO chief added that expanding Europe’s own defense production and continuing support for Ukraine are complementary goals rather than competing priorities.
On June 18, NATO defense ministers will meet in Brussels, followed by another session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
Earlier, G7 leaders agreed to increase deliveries of air defense systems and long-range weapons to Ukraine, according to a joint statement issued after the summit in France.
