On Tuesday, 28 May, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

The parties discussed, among other things, Ukraine’s urgent needs in connection with the current security situation, expectations and preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, as well as efforts to achieve Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO standards and policies.

Among other things, Olha Stefanishyna informed the Secretary General about the difficult situation in the Kharkiv and Sumy areas, where frontline cities are suffering from unprecedented enemy brutality on a daily basis. russia is also preparing for escalation in other areas.

“Stable military assistance is a matter of survival for Ukraine. I am grateful for your efforts to speed up the delivery and ensure the sustainability of military assistance. Our urgent military needs remain unchanged – air defence systems, F-16 combat aircraft, ammunition, long-range artillery, armoured vehicles and other essential items,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, 3 to 7 Patriot systems will help to strengthen the security of Ukrainian peaceful cities and protect the energy system.

“Support for air defence will send a clear signal to the Ukrainian people that Allies are united in their strong support for our country. Any recovery or reconstruction is not possible without securing the skies. A decision on air defence could be a powerful and historic achievement of the NATO Washington Summit,” added Olha Stefanishyna.

In the context of expectations for the upcoming summit, which will take place in Washington, in July this year, the official noted that for the first time, thanks to the format of the NATO-Ukraine Council, Ukrainian representatives would be involved in the development of the final documents on an equal footing with the Allies.

“Today we also discussed potential solutions that will guarantee the irreversibility of Ukraine’s membership in NATO. The Alliance’s military and financial commitments, as well as Ukraine’s very existence, must be protected by decisive action,” she stressed.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured that increasing and sustaining Allied support for Ukraine remained a top priority. And a number of the Summit’s decisions will be aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities through better coordination of international partners’ contributions.