NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg underlined the Alliance's unwavering support to Ukraine during a meeting with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov in Brussels on Monday (4 December 2023).
The Secretary General and Minister Umerov discussed the latest battlefield developments and Ukraine's urgent military needs. With winter expected to complicate fighting, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that Allies are committed to stepping up political and practical support to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's invasion. The Secretary General reiterated that NATO will provide long-term support to Ukraine to make Ukraine's forces fully interoperable within NATO and bring them even closer to the Alliance.
Secretary General Stoltenberg and Minister Umerov also discussed Ukraine's path to NATO membership and Ukraine's reform efforts. Mr Stoltenberg reiterated that Ukraine will become a member of NATO when all Allies agree and when conditions are met.
Monday's talks follow a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at Foreign Ministers level last Wednesday (29 November 2023). Mr Stoltenberg previously met Minister Umerov in Kyiv in September, and during the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in October.
