NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska concluded her two-day visit to Ireland on Tuesday (1 September 2026), after taking part in an informal meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council with EU Defence Ministers.
Addressing the minsters, the Deputy Secretary General underlined the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU, and their shared support for Ukraine. She warned that Russia continues to show no willingness to end its war against Ukraine, pointing to repeated attacks throughout the summer against Ukrainian cities and civilians. She called for sustained pressure on Russia, as well as increased support to Ukraine, particularly air defence, highlighting that "every interceptor makes a difference and saves lives."
Noting that the United States is providing crucial air defences, including interceptors, through NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), Ms Shekerinska called on Ministers to make further contributions to the programme while also looking to their own stocks for additional supply.
On Monday, the Deputy Secretary General spoke at an event hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin.
