How to increase arms shipments to Ukraine? The NATO defense ministers want to answer this question today at a meeting in Brussels headquarters. The focus is on air defense systems, especially after heavy Russian attacks on numerous Ukrainian cities this week.
Germany was the first European country to deliver. Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht: “The state-of-the-art IRIS-T air defense system was delivered from Germany to Ukraine and arrived there, a very important support for Ukraine in the fight against rocket fire, against this terror that is being exercised against the population. This is something what we’re going through right now.”
The ministers also want to discuss how NATO can quickly replenish its weapons arsenal after previous deliveries to Ukraine.
As far as the threatened use of Russian nuclear weapons is concerned, NATO has so far not been able to observe any dangerous movements.
However, Russia had been made to understand that nuclear use would have serious consequences, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Moscow knows that the nuclear war cannot be won and should never be waged. So far no change in Russian nuclear doctrine has been detected, but NATO remains vigilant.
Stoltenberg also warned Belarus not to become Putin’s accomplice in the war. Its President Alexander Lukashenko had announced that thousands of Russian soldiers were expected to take part in exercises in his country in the coming days.