Press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, 13 June 2024
🗣 | NATO Secretary General:
Good evening. Today we convened the NATO-Ukraine Council, where Defence Minister Umerov briefed Allies on the latest battlefield developments, and Ukraine’s most pressing needs.
Delays in our support have had serious consequences, and we must not let that happen again. The good news is that Allies are stepping up. But Ukraine needs predictable support for the long term.
Tomorrow, I expect Ministers will agree the plan for NATO security assistance and training for Ukraine, a key deliverable for the NATO Summit.
More than 99% of all military support to Ukraine is provided by NATO Allies. So, it makes sense that NATO takes on a greater role in these efforts. This will put our support on a firmer footing, provide predictability for Kyiv, and address both immediate and long-term needs.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Allies have provided around 40 billion euros worth of military support each year. I have proposed that we sustain this level of support as a minimum, for as long as it takes. And that Allies share this burden equitably.
The paradox is that the longer we plan, and the longer we commit, the sooner Ukraine can have peace. Because a credible long-term commitment shows Moscow that they cannot wait us out.
We also discussed ongoing initiatives to bring Ukraine ever closer to NATO membership. Such as capacity building to align Ukraine’s defence and security sectors with NATO standards, improve defence procurement, and enhance Ukraine’s defence-industrial base.
Today we have endorsed the first-ever NATO-Ukraine Innovation Cooperation Roadmap. Allies are preparing to endorse a NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) in Poland.
Tomorrow we will address how to further strengthen our deterrence and defence. Ministers will discuss a new Defence Industrial Pledge to scale up military production, and solidify long-term cooperation with our industry.
This is our last Ministerial Meeting before the Washington Summit in July, so we have a lot to get done.
With that I am ready to take your questions.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
SUBSCRIBE to this channel [ Ссылка ]
SUBSCRIBE to NATO News [ Ссылка ]
SUBSCRIBE to NATO History [ Ссылка ]
Connect with NATO online:
Visit the Official NATO Homepage: [ Ссылка ]
Receive NATO updates via email: [ Ссылка ]
Find NATO on FACEBOOK: [ Ссылка ]
Follow @NATO on X/TWITTER: [ Ссылка ]
Follow NATO on Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
Find NATO on LinkedIn: [ Ссылка ]
Find NATO on Flickr: [ Ссылка ]
#NATO #OTAN #DefMin
