Brussels, Oct. 17, 2024 (TheGavel) – NATO’s new Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, will host defence ministers from across the alliance in Brussels on Thursday for a critical two-day meeting, with the ongoing war in Ukraine and future defence strategies topping the agenda.
This marks Rutte’s first time chairing a NATO ministerial meeting since taking office, and the gathering is expected to feature a series of high-stakes discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, are slated to attend the summit, ensuring that the focus remains sharply on the war with Russia.
One key issue is Zelensky’s newly revealed “victory plan,” which outlines Ukraine’s path to ending the conflict on its own terms. Among the president’s primary demands is an immediate invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, alongside a push to lift restrictions that currently prevent Kyiv from using long-range Western weapons to target deep inside Russian territory.
While Secretary-General Rutte expressed NATO’s continued support for Ukraine, he struck a cautious tone in response to Zelensky’s plan, stating, “I cannot support the whole plan,” referencing the ongoing debate within the alliance over Ukraine’s membership. NATO leaders have so far resisted offering Ukraine full membership during the war, fearing that it could lead to a broader conflict with Russia.
In addition to discussions on Ukraine, the meeting will also delve into preparations for defending against potential Russian attacks during the winter. Umerov is expected to brief NATO defence ministers on Ukraine’s readiness and the state of the ongoing military operations.
NATO’s supreme commander, General Christopher Cavoli, will present new strategies for defending the alliance’s 32 member nations, which will include proposals to standardise equipment across the alliance’s militaries, aimed at enhancing NATO’s collective operational efficiency.
The meeting will also include a broader global focus, with the participation of defence ministers from NATO partner countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. These Indo-Pacific nations have been invited as NATO seeks to expand cooperation in response to what Rutte called “the growing alignment of authoritarian actors like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will also join the discussions, adding further weight to the talks, particularly on the alliance’s approach to tackling global security threats that go beyond the immediate crisis in Ukraine.
With the war in Ukraine continuing to reshape the global security landscape, NATO’s ability to maintain cohesion while balancing internal differences on critical issues such as Ukraine’s membership will remain a key challenge in the months ahead.(NAN)
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