Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the meetings of foreign ministers of NATO member states will begin in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, which NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived today for talks with senior officials before he heads the meetings of heads of diplomacy in NATO countries, amid expectations that the meeting will agree to provide more support to Ukraine. To counter Russian aggression. Stoltenberg used to hold a proactive press conference on the eve of the start of the high-level meetings to talk about the most prominent points that will be raised on the meeting table. During the press conference held in Brussels, where the military alliance is based, Stoltenberg sent strong messages focusing on criticizing the Russian president and warning of the repercussions of what is happening in Ukraine. NATO "We will confront Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, which continues to threaten peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
President Putin is failing in Ukraine and he is responding with even more brutality. Waves of deliberate missile attacks on cities and civilian infrastructure. Depriving Ukrainians of heat, light and food.
This is a terrible start to winter for Ukraine. These are also trying times for the rest of Europe and around the world. With the rise in energy and food prices.
 
Yes, we are all paying the price for Russia's war against Ukraine. But the price we are paying is in money.
Whereas the price Ukrainians pay is blood. And if we allow Putin to win, we will all pay a much higher price for many years to come. If Putin and other authoritarian leaders see strength as being rewarded,
They will use force again to achieve their goals. This would make our world more dangerous.
We are all more vulnerable. That is why it is in our security interest to support Ukraine.

We need to remember what this war is about.

Russia is the aggressor. Ukraine is the victim of aggression. Of course, Ukraine has the right to defend itself.
We are helping Ukraine uphold this right. There will be no lasting peace if the aggressor wins, if oppression and tyranny prevail over freedom and democracy. Most wars end with negotiations. But what happens at the negotiating table depends on what happens on the battlefield. Therefore, the best way to increase the chances of a peaceful solution is to support Ukraine.

So NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine as long as it takes. We will not back down.

Allies are providing unprecedented military support. I expect the Foreign Ministers will also agree to increase non-lethal support. Through our comprehensive assistance package, NATO is delivering fuel, medical supplies, winter equipment, as well as drone jammers.

I thank all allies for their contributions. When we meet in Bucharest, I will demand more.
In the long term, we will help Ukraine move from Soviet-era equipment to modern NATO standards, doctrine and training.
We will meet with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss Ukraine's most pressing needs and our long-term support. We will also meet with the Foreign Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Moldova.
Our three partners are facing Russian pressure in many different ways. Therefore, in our meeting, we will take further steps to help them protect their independence and strengthen their ability to defend themselves.
NATO foreign ministers will also address our resilience and the challenges posed by China.
China is not an adversary. But it is intensifying military modernization. It is increasing its presence from the Arctic to the Western Balkans, from space to cyberspace. It is seeking to control the vital infrastructure of NATO allies.
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated our dangerous dependence on Russian gas. So we must assess our dependence on other authoritarian regimes, not least China.

We must manage the risks.
reduce our weaknesses.
and increase our resilience.
The foreign ministers of Finland and Sweden will join us for all the discussions in Bucharest.
It is time to finalize their admission process and welcome them as full members of our alliance.
And this will make them safer, and it will make NATO stronger, and it will make the Euro-Atlantic region safer.