Meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (December 3), NATO Foreign Ministers welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan for a discussion on NATO's southern neighbourhood and how best to work together to address common challenges to security. Jordan is one of NATO's most important partners in the Middle East and this was the first time that King Abdullah II participated in a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers. Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that NATO will soon open a Liaison Office in Amman as an important step "in making our deep relationships in the region even stronger".
Ministers also met in the NATO-Ukraine Council with Minister Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine and the new EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. Secretary General Rutte underscored how Ukraine has resisted Russian aggression, noting that the "situation on the battlefield is difficult, and we have to do everything we can to get more military aid into Ukraine". He said that Putin "is pressing on, trying to take more territory. Because he thinks he can break Ukraine's resolve and ours. But he is wrong". Mr. Rutte condemned Russia's recent launch of an experimental intermediate range ballistic missile and noted that deploying this capability "will neither change the course of the conflict nor deter NATO Allies from supporting Ukraine".
The Secretary General said that NATO Allies are stepping up with more military support for Ukraine, a new command to coordinate assistance and training, and a financial pledge of 40 billion euros as a minimum baseline for this year. He said that it is necessary now to make sure that military aid goes to Ukraine, so that if Ukraine decides to "enter into talks with the Russians one day, they will do this from a position of strength".
On Wednesday, NATO Foreign Ministers will address Russia's hostile actions in NATO countries, including acts of sabotage, cyber-attacks, and energy blackmail. In previewing the meeting during a press conference, the Secretary General said that "none of these actions will deter us from supporting Ukraine or making our own defences stronger".
