NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels held without Zaluzhnyi
Фото: UkraineNatoMission
Ukraine's AFU chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi did not attend the first NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, which was held on January 17 at the level of heads of defense departments.
Major General Serhii Salkutsan presented Ukraine's side, though Zaluzhnyi was planning to join foreign counterparts in a videoconference format, Ukraine's Mission to NATO reports.
Salkutsan informed the Allies about the current situation on the battlefield, stressed the priority needs of Ukrainian forces, and called for an increase in the supply of weapons, including air defense systems and missile launchers.
The NATO-Ukraine Council lifts up security issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine on its regular meetings. It was launched at the Vilnius Summit in 2023 as one of the three elements of an assistance package that brings Kyiv closer to the Alliance.
The package also includes a multi-year assistance program designed to help Ukrainian troops achieve full interoperability with the armed forces of NATO member states.
The first meeting of the Military Committee, NATO's highest armed body, is scheduled for January 17-18. The Allies will discuss Russia's war against Ukraine, the situation on the ground, and NATO's continued support for the defense state.
