Stoltenberg's Request to NATO Members: Maintain Current Support for Ukraine

Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, on Tuesday urged members of the military alliance to maintain the "current trend" of support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's military aggression. According to Reuters, this request comes as the U.S. and the European Union are working to agree on additional military aid for Kyiv. Upon arriving at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at the organization's headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg told reporters, "It is our duty to ensure that we provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs." He added, "We just have to continue on our path. This also relates to our security interests." These statements come amid uncertainty regarding the fate of a $60 billion military aid package from the Biden administration to Ukraine, due to opposition from some Republicans in the U.S. Congress. However, government officials emphasize that they will finalize the delivery of this aid to Kyiv, stating that a majority of Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress still agree on the necessity of supporting Ukraine. Stoltenberg also expressed optimism about continued U.S. support for Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, upon arriving in Brussels, stated that "NATO members will strongly affirm our support for Ukraine as it continues to face Russia's aggressive war." This meeting takes place as Ukraine's major counteroffensive against Russian forces, which began earlier this year, has not made significant progress. Meanwhile, the EU foreign policy chief's proposal to allocate approximately $22 billion in military aid to Ukraine over four years has faced resistance from member countries that need to fund this budget. Stoltenberg noted that Germany and the Netherlands, EU members, have recently announced multi-billion euro packages of bilateral military support for Ukraine. He stated that the importance of the war in Ukraine extends far beyond its borders, adding that "Putin's victory is a tragedy for Ukraine, but it is also dangerous for us." Stoltenberg remarked that this sends a message to all authoritarian leaders that they can achieve their demands by violating international laws, using force, and attacking other countries.