Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg chaired a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Thursday (8 June 2023), bringing together Allied ambassadors with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Participating virtually, Minister Kuleba briefed Allies on the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine, outlining the devastation it has caused.
Mr Stoltenberg said the consequences for thousands of people and for the environment are dramatic, and he urged Allies to provide support expeditiously. Allies expressed strong solidarity with Ukraine, and many are already providing critical aid, including water filters, pumps, generators, and shelter equipment. NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, the Alliance's civil emergency response mechanism, has shared a detailed list of Ukraine's most urgent needs with NATO Allies and partners.
The Secretary General stressed the importance of immediate, medium and long-term support to Ukraine, saying that this will be a key topic for next week's meetings of NATO Defence Ministers and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, as well as the Vilnius Summit in July.
