Exactly in which meetings and at what level Ukraine will participate in The Hague at the end of June has not been announced yet.
I have invited Ukraine. The exact program will be announced shortly, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a press conference before Thursday's NATO defense minister meeting in Brussels.
Ukraine's presence at the summit has been uncertain, mainly due to the United States' continued reluctance to let the country into the military alliance.
Forces and budget
The defense ministers will, among other things, set new targets for what forces the member countries should have at this week's meeting in Brussels.
Additionally, the discussion about what percentage target should apply in the future for how much countries should spend on their defense continues. A decision is pending at the NATO summit in The Hague and is expected to land at 3.5 percent in traditional defense spending plus at least 1.5 percent for things that are also of military importance, such as roads and railways.
Prior to this, a meeting was also held within the so-called contact group for Ukraine's defense on Wednesday.
– We are fighting against death – the death that Russia brings to Ukraine, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyj in a post via link to the ministers at the meeting.
Ships and drones
Afterwards, British Defense Minister John Healey – who led the meeting together with German Boris Pistorius – announced that the participants promised further support to Ukraine for "billions" of euros.
This includes the equivalent of 4.4 billion kronor from the Netherlands, focused on sea and water.
– It contains more than 100 different vessels and also sea drones, more than 50, said Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.
– We are sending a message today to Moscow: Ukraine is strong and has many friends. And those friends stand firm by them, said British John Healey.
Wiktor Nummelin/TT
Fact: NATO summit in The Hague
TT
The 32 NATO countries' heads of state and government will meet in The Hague in the Netherlands on June 24-25 for a summit, mainly focused on how much countries should spend on their defense. US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will attend the meeting, where the member countries' foreign and defense ministers will also participate, in different meeting constellations. The meeting is also expected to include participation from partner countries such as Ukraine, Japan, and South Korea. The next NATO summit will then be held in Turkey in 2026.
