NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be chairing the meeting at the alliance's headquarters in the Belgian capital on Thursday and Friday, according to an announcement.
The ministerial meeting is expected to discuss further military supplies for Ukraine, NATO's nuclear capabilities and preparations for the alliance's summit in Washington next month, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
'Predictable support to Ukraine for the long haul'
Stoltenberg told the media ahead of the gathering that “Allies will discuss how to ensure predictable support to Ukraine for the long haul."
He added that the ministers were expected to approve a plan for NATO to lead the coordination of security assistance and training, “a key element for our package for Ukraine at the Washington Summit, along with a long-term financial commitment."
Allies have provided EUR 40 billion in military support to Ukraine each year, according to Stoltenberg.
“We must maintain this level of support as a minimum, and for as long as it takes, to hasten the conclusion in Moscow that Russia cannot wait us out,” he said.
NATO defence ministers will also address measures to continue strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence, the alliance said on its website.
“Defence spending is on an upward trajectory across the Alliance,” Stoltenberg told reporters.
"At the ministerial, Allies will make progress on a new Defence Industrial Pledge for leaders to approve in Washington to scale up military production and send a signal of long-term demand to industry," NATO announced.
It added that the ministers would also make decisions to "ensure the required capabilities for NATO’s new defence plans, and they will discuss Russia’s intensifying campaign of hostile acts across NATO countries."
The ministerial also includes a meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group, where Allies will discuss the ongoing adaptation of NATO’s nuclear capabilities, according to nato.int.
“We will bolster our support to Ukraine, we will strengthen our defences, and we will send a strong message of deterrence to our adversaries,” Stoltenberg said.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Poland's Kosiniak-Kamysz is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Greek Defence Minister Nikolaos Dendias, Sweden's Pål Jonson, Italy's Guido Crosetto, Latvia's Andris Sprūds; and Finland's Antti Häkkänen, reporters were told.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 841 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, nato.int, gov.pl