During their meeting in the Belgian capital on Wednesday and Thursday, top diplomats from NATO countries will address the war in Ukraine and discuss the appointment of the next secretary-general of the alliance, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Outgoing NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is expected to propose a USD 100 billion five-year fund for Ukraine when alliance foreign ministers gather on Wednesday, according to a report by the Bloomberg news agency.
The proposed financial package will be part of a broader initiative by NATO allies to support Ukraine's defence against Russia, as a USD 60 billion US military aid package is stalled in Congress, according to reports.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Ukraine is at a "critical moment" in its war with Russia and urgently needs more Western support.
"It is absolutely essential to get Ukrainians what they continue to need to defend themselves, particularly when it comes to munitions and air defences," Blinken told reporters during a visit to France, as cited by the Reuters news agency.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is expected to attend a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the alliance's Brussels headquarters on Thursday.
The two-day Brussels gathering will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty, which established NATO on April 4, 1949, according to an announcement.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Wednesday is day 770 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, politico.eu, nato.int