NATO member states have committed to providing Ukraine with more air defense systems to bolster the country’s resilience against ongoing Russian aerial assaults, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Speaking at the alliance’s foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Rutte highlighted the strategic importance of Ukraine’s defense capabilities in light of Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He stressed that Russia and China were using tactics like sabotage, cyber-attacks, and weaponized energy to destabilize NATO nations.
Rutte assured that NATO would take further steps to enhance intelligence sharing and ensure Ukraine remains well-equipped to defend itself. He emphasized the need for Ukraine to maintain a position of strength amid the intensifying Russian attacks.
In a joint statement with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Rutte also underscored the importance of keeping Ukraine’s energy grid operational, saying, “We cannot have a weaponization of winter in Ukraine.” While acknowledging NATO’s current efforts to support Ukraine, he affirmed that more action was needed to ensure the country’s air defense and overall security.
