Today's NATO-Ukraine Council meeting was 'very positive' – Rutte

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said this at a press conference following the meeting of NATO defense ministers, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Today, we had a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting with the defense ministers. It was very good. We really went into detail – how do we make sure that support for Ukraine is not only there now but is also there to stay, how do we make sure collectively that if what we all hope will happen -- and we are really commending President Trump for these efforts here -- that a long-term ceasefire or even a peace deal would happen, how do we make sure that Ukraine has what it needs for that peace deal to be durable, to be lasting," he said.

He noted that today's defense leaders continued the constructive discussions that began yesterday during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting co-chaired by Germany and the United Kingdom. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas also participated in today's NATO-Ukraine Council session. During the meeting, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov briefed the allies on the battlefield situation and the challenges Ukraine is facing.

Rutte said that Umerov highlighted the challenges on the battlefield, Russia's continued attacks on civilian targets, and Ukraine's ongoing pursuit of a negotiated peace.

"There was widespread support for what Ukraine is doing and our total condemnation of Russia's unprovoked onslaught on Ukraine. So, that was a very positive meeting," he added.

Today's meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels resulted in agreement on capability goals and increased defense spending ahead of the upcoming summit in The Hague. Another key topic for that summit will be the continuation of support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression and in its efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.

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