NATO Allies agreed to enhance support for Kyiv in Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting

Europe, News, US July 20, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Representatives from 50 countries joined the 14th Ukraine Defense Group meeting in a virtual format. The meeting was chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of U.S. Army General Mark Miley on July 18, 2023.

The group meeting was the first since NATO’s annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Defense ministers of NATO members and partner states pledged their commitment to supporting Ukraine as the country seeks to drive Russian forces from its soil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin termed the meeting successful, stating that the allies discussed their determination to support Ukraine in its counter-offensive. “Today, we recommitted to supporting Ukraine during this crucial counteroffensive and for the long haul,” he said.

Austin further stated that “This is no time to slow down. The United States and our allies and partners have moved mountains to provide Ukraine with critical air defense systems, munitions, and more. Coming out of today’s meeting, I’m grateful to all of our allies and partners for their commitment and their clarity.”

*^{NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participates in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. (Image Credit: NATO)}*

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell, and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles were also present during the virtual meeting.

Stoltenberg said that Allies and partners will need to continue providing Ukraine with the military assistance it needs to prevail and that NATO will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukraine’s NATO membership

Defense representatives from the NATO member states pledged their commitment to the three elements packaged for Ukraine’s NATO membership. The package was agreed by all the allies during NATO’s annual summit earlier this month. Under the package, the allies agreed to remove the requirement for a Membership Action Plan, changing Ukraine’s membership path from a two-step process to a one-step process.

*^{Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attending the NATO summit in Lithuania on July 12, 2023. (Image Credit: Twitter/@KyivPost)}*

The allies also established the NATO-Ukraine Council, a joint body of equals for consultation and decision-making. The Secretary-General chaired the inaugural meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council with the participation of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Vilnius. The NATO Allies agreed on a multi-year support program for Ukraine, covering critical needs like demining equipment, fuel, and medical supplies.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive

Following the meeting, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley briefed the media about Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive. Milley addressed the critique surrounding Ukraine’s military operations. Several experts believe that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is not successful enough and worry that a stalemate might be developing.

“We are reminded that real war is not a war on paper, Real war is unpredictable,” Milley said. “It’s filled with fear, fog, and friction. The real war is brutal,” he highlighted.

“The Ukrainian counteroffensive will be slow,” Milley said, adding that Ukrainian service members are fighting their way through dense Russian minefields and obstacles. “Yet despite the enormous costs, Ukrainians are advancing steadily and deliberately, braving brutal and bloody battles to reclaim their homeland,” he added.

^{U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin (center), U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley (left), and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov at the sixth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters, Brussels, Oct 12, 2022. (Image Credit: Chad J. McNeeley/DOD)}

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting is led by the United States and conducted with Western partners and allies to support Ukraine with weapons and equipment for its defense against Russia. The first such meeting took place on April 26, 2022, at the U.S. Airbase in Ramstein, Germany.