Omer Tuğrul Cam
09 March 2022•Update: 09 March 2022
ANKARA
NATO defense ministers will meet virtually to discuss the latest developments in Russia’s war on Ukraine, the alliance announced Tuesday in a statement.
The meeting, which will be chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, will be held on March 16 via videoconference.
The military alliance has held high-level meetings at various levels in recent weeks due to increasing tensions between Western countries and Russia, Russia's military buildup on the Ukrainian border, and Russia's war on Ukraine.
Following a NATO defense ministers meeting on Feb. 16 and 17 at NATO headquarters, a NATO leaders summit was held on Feb. 25 via videoconference.
On March 4, NATO foreign ministers gathered at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.
At least 474 civilians have been killed and 861 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to the UN, which noted that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the true number.
Some 2 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN Refugee Agency.
