NATO members have reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering Ukraine’s defenses and will continue to provide military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine this year, the alliance announced in a statement following the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on Jan. 10.
The NATO-Ukraine Council was created at the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July 2023 and provides a platform for consultations and decision-making between NATO and Ukraine.
“Many Allies outlined plans to provide billions of euros of further capabilities in 2024,” the statement said.
“As Moscow intensifies its strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilians, NATO Allies are boosting Ukraine’s air defenses,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “We will continue to stand by the brave Ukrainians as they push back against Russia’s war of aggression.”
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk and Deputy Interior Minister Oleksiy Serhieiev took part in the meeting via video link.
Oleshchuk “underscored the significance of pilot training and the provision of F-16 fighter jets to fortify the capabilities of Ukraine’s air defense forces,” Ukraine’s mission to NATO said in a statement.
The announcement comes a day after Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said on Jan. 9 that the EU “will further scale up its support to Ukraine,” after Belgium started its term leading the European Council.
