NATO defence ministers meet as Ukraine appeals for more weapons

The defence ministers meeting this week also plan to discuss moves to beef up forces along NATO's eastern flank, which have gathered pace since Russia invaded Ukraine.

NATO defence ministers attending a two-day meeting starting Wednesday will discuss beefing up weapons supplies to Ukraine, and Sweden and Finland’s applications to join the transatlantic military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

The meeting, less two weeks before a summit of NATO leaders in Madrid, comes with Kyiv imploring the West to send more and heavier weapons to help fend off Russia’s onslaught in eastern Ukraine.

“Allies are committed to continue providing the military equipment that Ukraine needs to prevail, including heavy weapons and long-range systems,” Stoltenberg said.

He added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be invited to address the June 29-30 Madrid summit, either in person or by video link.

Increased arms supplies cannot come soon enough for the Ukrainian forces battling to keep Russia from taking control of their country’s industrial east after more than three-and-a-half months of war.

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelenskyy pleaded Tuesday for more and faster deliveries of Western arms, specifically asking for anti-missile defense systems.

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is hosting a meeting Wednesday of some 50 nations at NATO’s Brussels headquarters to discuss weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said Tuesday that the invaded nation’s military had received only around 10 per cent of the Western weapons it had requested “to create parity with the Russian army.”