NATO Defence Ministers wrapped up two days of talks on Friday (18 October) with a commitment to further support Ukraine, strengthen ties with partners in the Asia-Pacific and reinforce the Alliance's deterrence and defence.
"Strengthening our deterrence and defence is this Alliance's top priority, because keeping our one billion people safe is NATO's most sacred duty," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said after the meeting. The Secretary General cited greater defence industrial capacity, more secure supply chains, and new technologies as critical to ensuring the Alliance's security. Mr. Rutte added that NATO was making a fresh push for common munitions standards and more joint procurement to drive down costs and improve ease of use among Allies. NATO operations in the Western Balkans and Iraq were also on the agenda.
Addressing the issue of Allied airspace breached by Russian drones, the Secretary General said that air and missile defence remains an Alliance priority. He highlighted the airspace violation in Romania yesterday and affirmed NATO's solidarity with Romania, commending Romanian authorities and SACEUR for "their quick and effective response." This was possible, in part, because NATO is stepping up surveillance on its eastern flank as part of a broader effort to reinforce deterrence. Mr Rutte went on to emphasise that Allies are purchasing hundreds of modern fighter aircraft and air defences systems.
Warning of Russia's "increasingly irresponsible rhetoric", the Secretary General said the Alliance's nuclear deterrent remains "vital" to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression.
On Thursday (17 October), NATO Defence Ministers were joined for the first time by their counterparts from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand for talks on common security challenges, including in the context of Ukraine and the support that China, North Korea, and Iran are providing to Russia's war effort.
Later on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined Ministers in the NATO-Ukraine Council and provided an overview of his plan for ending the war. The discussion among Defence Ministers with their Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, focused on Ukraine's most urgent needs, including equipment and training. The Secretary General noted that work is well underway to set up NATO's new command to coordinate security assistance and training for Ukraine, and to deliver on the pledge of 40 billion euros in military aid. He reiterated that Ukraine's path to NATO membership is irreversible. "Ukraine will be member of NATO, there is no doubt about it, and until that happens we will make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to prevail," he said.
