A high stakes defense meeting in Brussels will precede the NATO leaders summit, with ministers set to weigh new measures to reinforce Ukraine and regional deterrence.
According to the official NATO website, another meeting of defense ministers from alliance member states is planned in Brussels on June 18.
The session will be chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and within it there will be discussions in the Nuclear Planning Group and a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of defense ministers.
Before the start of the meeting, the ministers will briefly appear for a press briefing, and at 14:00 local Brussels time the Secretary General will answer journalists’ questions during a press conference.
This meeting serves as the final stage of preparations for the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7–8.
In the afternoon of June 18 at the alliance’s headquarters, a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and a Ramstein Group meeting are also expected.
Outlook for the meeting and potential consequences
It is expected that during discussions the emphasis will be on current security issues in Europe and supporting Ukraine in the context of defense modernization and strengthening allies’ defense capabilities.
The meeting could influence further coordination of actions among Alliance members and the continuation of joint support for Ukraine in the defense sector.