BRUSSELS, October 17. /TASS/. Arms procurements, defense budgets and military aid to the Kiev government will be in the spotlight during the upcoming two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers to begin in Brussels on Thursday.
Simultaneously, Brussles will also host a summit of the European Union, also discussing military support to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky was invited to both events.
According to European Council President Charles Michel and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, participants of both summits will address the so-called victory plan, put forward by Zelensky.
Diplomatic sources said that instead of debating new arms supplies to Kiev, the meetings are more likely to focus on the degree of escalation with Russia, which European countries are ready to allow, including in the context of permitting the use of their weapons for strategic-depth strikes on Russia.
The diplomats believe that the United States is highly likely to stop short of permitting this move, waiting for European countries to make the first step.
All these issues will also be raised during the NATO-Ukraine Council ministerial meeting on October 17.
More weapons
At a news conference in the run-up to the meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance was not yet ready to invite Ukraine, but it "will join the Alliance, of course, when the time is right."
Instead, NATO pledged to continue its military aid to the Kiev regime, so that it could continue military action. Also, a NATO command is being founded now in Wiesbaden to coordinate and provide security assistance and training for Ukraine. It is expected "to become fully operational in the coming months," Rutte said.
He also assured that NATO countries are firmly on track to delivering military aid worth $40 billion to Ukraine, pledged for the coming year, as agreed in Washington. In his words, NATO Allies have already committed $20.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine during the first half of 2024.
NATO militarization
Speaking about militarization of the alliance, Rutte repeatedly said that although not all members raised their military spending to 2% of the GDP, they will have to spend even more in the future. He gave no exact figures, however.