On Wednesday 11 October, Defence Ministers of Allied countries announced new support for Ukraine.
At the end of a day devoted to Ukraine - the Defence Contact Group and then the NATO-Ukraine Council - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the new pledges of support from the Allies.
“Russia is stepping up its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, and is preparing again to use winter as a weapon of war. So it is even more important that we step up and sustain our support to Ukraine”, he stressed.
In addition to confirmations by Belgium and Denmark of their intention to deliver F-16 aircraft to Ukraine - in 2025 for Brussels - Canada has announced that it will donate clothing, ammunition and equipment from its stockpile.
The UK has pledged over €100 million for air defence and mine clearance equipment, and the US has pledged $200 million. According to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, the package will include AIM-9 ammunition for a “new air defence system” soon to be delivered to Ukraine, artillery and rocket ammunition, precision aerial munitions, anti-tank weapons and equipment to counter Russian drones.
On Tuesday, Germany announced a €1 billion package focusing on the Patriot and IRIS-T air defence systems.
NATO has also promised to step up its support for the winter by providing more protective clothing against the cold, demining capabilities, fuel and medical equipment.
Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelensky, on a surprise visit to Alliance headquarters, called for the supply of additional anti-missile systems, artillery and munitions. “Surviving the next winter (...) is one of the biggest challenges, but we are preparing, we are ready and now we need support”, he explained.
Working on capacity coalitions
In addition to immediate aid, Mr Austin called for the creation of “capability coalitions”, “responsible for coordinating the contributions of coalition members in each major capability area”. While coalitions already exist for specific items, such as Leopard tanks or F16s, Mr Austin wants to take the concept “a step further”, with these coalitions focusing on broader capabilities. “We will also organise ourselves to coordinate our investments in the future Ukrainian force”, he announced.
Events in Israel will not distract the Allies from Ukraine
Asked about the Allies’ ability to help both Israel and Ukraine, the Secretary General said that the Allies and NATO had the capacity to deal with several challenges and did not have the “luxury” of choosing.
“The US remains capable of deploying its forces and resources to address crises in multiple locations simultaneously. Therefore, we stand firmly with Israel while continuing to support Ukraine”, confirmed Mr Austin.
Using Russian assets
Mr Zelensky also called on the Allies to find solutions for using Russian assets to finance the reconstruction of his country. “There are some voices in the world saying that there is no money to help Ukraine rebuild. The answer is very quick: you have Russian assets and we can use them. Let’s find the key to getting Russian money and spending it on rebuilding Ukraine”, he explained.
Following a meeting with Mr Zelensky, the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, promised to grant Ukraine €1.7 billion in 2024, corresponding to the proceeds of taxes on the interest on Russian assets frozen in banks in Belgium.
According to Mr de Croo, the money could be used to help the Ukrainian army “purchase equipment or rebuild destroyed infrastructure”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)