BRUSSELS

NATO defense ministers will reaffirm their “steadfast support” for Ukraine at their two-day meeting that begins in Brussels on Wednesday, according to the alliance’s chief. 

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov will brief his counterparts during Wednesday’s session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

“We are prepared for the long haul, and we will support them for as long as it takes,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters, underlining that the war has seen “the most serious escalation since February.”

He said the ministers will discuss “how to ramp up support,” stressing that NATO’s “top priority” is to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

Discussions will also focus on strengthening NATO’s resilience and protection of critical infrastructure in light of the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines, he added.

Stoltenberg also once again condemned Russia’s “horrific and indiscriminate” missile attacks on Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure.

NATO’s response to Russia’s nuclear threats, measures to strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and defense, and the future of NATO missions will also be on the agenda of the two-day talks.