EuroWire, BRUSSELS: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on Feb. 24 for sustained and increased military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine, saying the flow of assistance must match the demands of a war that has entered its fourth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Speaking at a ceremony at NATO headquarters marking the anniversary, Rutte said continued backing was essential for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, including against attacks from the air, and to maintain positions along the front.
NATO said the commemoration in Brussels paired the ceremony with a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, bringing together allied ambassadors and Ukraine’s mission to the alliance. The event included a moment of silence and remarks by Ukraine’s ambassador to NATO, Alyona Getmanchuk, and was attended by senior NATO officials, including Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, as the alliance highlighted ongoing coordination with Kyiv.
In his address, Mark Rutte said Ukraine “needs more” support and warned against treating pledges as a substitute for deliveries. “A promise of help does not end a war,” he said, adding: “Ukraine needs ammunition today and every day until the bloodshed stops.” Rutte also referenced a recent visit to Ukraine, describing damage to homes and power supplies, a meeting with residents of Yahidne, and a stop at Kyiv’s Maidan to pay respects to those killed in the conflict.
Aid coordination
NATO said allies have provided what it described as unprecedented support to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, including what the alliance characterized as 99 percent of all military aid. The alliance pointed to its Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine command in Wiesbaden, known as NSATU, as the hub for coordinating deliveries, training and related support among allies and partners, as governments continue to send weapons, ammunition and other equipment.
NATO also cited its PURL initiative, which it said provides U.S. military equipment to Ukraine using funding contributed by allies and partner countries. Rutte said Ukraine requires military assistance alongside financial and humanitarian aid, and he linked the appeal directly to battlefield needs, including air defense and sustaining the frontlines. NATO’s public account of the events said allied representatives used the anniversary to reiterate support and review commitments of further aid.
Council meeting
NATO said the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting opened with a video address from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who thanked allies for their support and emphasized the need for additional air defense, including through the PURL mechanism. NATO said ambassadors expressed solidarity with Ukraine and discussed continuing assistance as the war moved into a fifth year, with the alliance presenting the council format as the main forum for political consultations with Kyiv.
Rutte also took part in an online meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to NATO. The NATO secretary-general’s anniversary message centered on maintaining aid flows and underscored that the alliance’s support has spanned military supplies, financial backing and humanitarian assistance since 2022, as NATO used the Brussels events to restate its long-running position that Ukraine has the right to exist as a sovereign, democratic country.