Current:Home > InvestUkraine President Zelenskyy at NATO defense ministers meeting seeking more support to fight Russia -SecurePath Capital
Ukraine President Zelenskyy at NATO defense ministers meeting seeking more support to fight Russia
View
Date:2025-04-12 14:17:52
BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at NATO for Wednesday’s meetings with alliance defense ministers to further drum up support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
The U.S. is hosting a meeting of the Ukraine contact group to seek more weapons and ammunition for the war-ravaged country. NATO allies and partner countries will be waiting to hear precisely what kinds of military equipment Kyiv needs.
Following that meeting, the 31 allies and Ukraine will take part in the first NATO-Ukraine Council at this level. The forum was formally established in July as part of efforts to bring Kyiv closer to the alliance. It allows NATO and Kyiv to discuss issues of common interest and concern.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters traveling with him to Brussels that a number of allies will announce they are sending additional weapons and other support to Kyiv. A key demand has been more air defense systems and munitions.
“The energy, in my view, is still there,” said Austin. “And I will reassure them that we are we remain committed to this.”
The meeting comes as Ukraine is desperately seeking more weapons to help its troops regain ground from Russian forces before the muddy weather sets in. But political chaos in Congress and divisions over continued Ukraine funding combined with new pressure to provide U.S. weapons to Israel fuel uncertainty and will likely dominate many of the conversations.
According to a U.S. official, the new package of U.S. aid includes AIM-9M missiles for air defense, counter-drone systems, munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), artillery, electronic warfare equipment, demolition munitions, anti-armor systems and more than 16 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
The weapons are provided under presidential drawdown authority, so will be taken from Pentagon stocks and delivered quickly to the battlefield. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the aid before the official announcement.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- The Masked Singer Reveals That Made Fans' Jaws Drop
- Dancing With the Stars’ Danny Amendola Sets Record Straight on Xandra Pohl Dating Rumors
- Women’s only track meet in NYC features Olympic champs, musicians and lucrative prize money
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Fall kills climber and strands partner on Wyoming’s Devils Tower
- What’s My Secret to a Juicy, Moist Pout? This $13 Lip Gloss That Has Reviewers (and Me) Obsessed
- 1 charged after St. Louis police officer hit and killed responding to crash
- 'Most Whopper
- Sean Diddy Combs' Lawyer Attempts to Explain Why Rapper Had 1,000 Bottles of Baby Oil
Ranking
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock's cause of death revealed
- Former Houston officer convicted of murder in deaths of couple during drug raid
- WNBA playoff games today: What to know for Sun vs. Fever, Lynx vs. Mercury on Wednesday
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Margaret Qualley Reveals Why Husband Jack Antonoff Lied to Her “First Crush” Adam Sandler
- Will Young Voters’ Initial Excitement for Harris Build Enough Momentum to Get Them to the Polls?
- Tropical Weather Latest: Swaths of Mexico and Florida under hurricane warnings as Helene strengthens
Recommendation
Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
Whoopi Goldberg Defends Taylor Swift From NFL Fans Blaming Singer for Travis Kelce's Performance
Levi's teases a Beyoncé collaboration: 'A denim story like never before'
Wisconsin rock climber dies after fall inside Devils Tower National Monument
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
Abercrombie’s Secret Sale Has Tons of Fall Styles & Bestsellers Starting at $11, Plus an Extra 25% Off
Teen Mom Alum Kailyn Lowry Reveals Why She Postponed Her Wedding to Fiancé Elijah Scott
How to get rid of motion sickness, according to the experts