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NATO countries vow to give Kiev more heavy weapons, long-range systems

This was the third meeting of the contact group, which brought together about 45 countries, including Ukraine

BRUSSELS, June 15. /TASS/. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed new commitments by NATO countries to provide weapons to Kiev including heavy equipment and long-range systems, according to a statement that the alliance released on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting of a contact group to support Ukraine.

"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a meeting of the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels on Wednesday (15 June 2022), to discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs for military equipment," the statement said. "The Secretary General thanked the United States for its leadership and coordination, and welcomed new announcements by NATO Allies of support to Ukraine."

"The Secretary General stressed that NATO Allies are committed to continue providing Ukraine with the military equipment it needs to prevail, including heavy weapons and long-range systems," according to the statement.

"NATO as an organisation is also stepping up its support," he said, noting that Allies will agree a new comprehensive assistance package for Ukraine at the Madrid Summit. This will help Ukraine in the longer-term to transition from Soviet-era to modern NATO equipment and to enhance interoperability with NATO.

This was the third meeting of the contact group, which brought together about 45 countries, including Ukraine.

Stoltenberg also said the alliance plan to agree a new comprehensive assistance package for Ukraine at the Madrid Summit on June 28-30 to help Ukraine in the longer-term to transition from Soviet-era to modern NATO equipment and to enhance interoperability with NATO. The secretary general didn’t say how much the program would be worth and how it would be funded.

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