NATO will provide more air defence assistance to Ukraine, the 30-member military alliance\u2019s secretary general said on Thursday.
\nJens Stoltenberg spoke at a joint press conference with US defence minister Lloyd Austin before the second day of the NATO defence minister\u2019s reunion in Brussels.
\nStoltenberg announced that the ministers agreed to \u201cprovide more air defence assistance to Ukraine\u201d at the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on Wednesday.
\n\u201cWe will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes,\u201d he reiterated, vowing increased support for the country, which is battling Russian forces since February.
\nNATO also welcomes the decision of the UN General Assembly condemning Russia\u2019s annexation of four Ukrainian territories and calling on Moscow to restore the country\u2019s territorial integrity, he added.
\nFor his part, Austin hailed NATO allies who \u201cstep up to provide security assistance\u201d even in the eighth month of Russia\u2019s \u201cunprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine.\u201d
\n\u201cThis alliance is the essential forum for consultation, decision-making and action when it comes to the security of the region,\u201d he said.
\nAustin also reassured of the US commitment to protecting \u201cevery inch of NATO’s territory\u201d in line with its Article 5 on collective defence.
\nNATO defence ministers are expected to assess the alliance\u2019s response to Russia\u2019s alleged nuclear threat, as well as further adjustments to the military organisation\u2019s defence and deterrence posture in response to the war in Ukraine.
\nEU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will also join them for a discussion on the future of NATO missions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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