Jan. 4 (UPI) — The NATO-Ukraine Council will meet next week at Ukraine’s request following a series of large-scale Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, officials announced Thursday.
NATO press officer Dylan White posted to X Thursday to confirm that the council’s ambassadors would convene on Jan. 10 at Ukraine’s urging, following the spate of attacks which included a bombardment of about 90 missiles and drones on New Year’s Eve.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba had previously confirmed the meeting without providing a date.
“NATO has supported Ukraine’s request for an extraordinary NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in response to Russia’s mass air strikes,” Kuleba posted on X Thursday.
The meeting comes after NATO on Wednesday said it would support a deal for European members to provide about 1,000 Patriot missiles to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.
The $5.5 billion contract has been awarded to COMLOG, a joint venture between U.S.-based weapons manufacturer Raytheon and Germany’s MBDA defense company.
The NATO-Ukraine council was established amid the war and met for the first time in November as leaders pledged to support Ukraine, “as long as it takes.”
Ukraine has sought to be admitted into the military alliance as a full member, which has angered Russia.
Ahead of the council’s first meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Vilnius where he slammed the alliance’s “absurd” failure to provide a clear timeline for Ukraine to join, instead offering a multi-year plan to bring Kyiv’s forces up to NATO standards.
