NATO Understands Additional Needs For Air Defense For Ukraine, But Doesn't Give Concrete Promises

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is with foreign ministers of member countries. (Twitter/@jensstoltenberg)

JAKARTA - Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday agreed to explore their arsenal, to seek more air defense systems to protect Ukraine from Russian ballistic missile attacks, as the alliance marked its 75th anniversary.

"Sekutu understands its urgency," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with NATO colleagues and requested additional new air defense systems, especially the United States-made Patriot missile.

"The squad will now return and look at their inventory, looking for ways to provide more systems, especially Patriots, but also of course ensuring that existing systems have ammunition and parts (they need it)," he continued at a news conference.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more support for Ukraine was essential as countries such as China, North Korea and Iran supported Russia's efforts to build its defense industry base.

"I believe based on what I heard today that everyone, including the United States, will take a step back, and if necessary to double it, in finding the resources Ukraine continues to need," Foreign Minister Blinken said, citing the need for air defense, as well as for artillery and ammunition.

However, no official has made specific appointments or requests for assistance.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Kuleba told reporters: "I don't want to spoil NATO's birthday party, but I feel compelled to convey a very serious message on behalf of Ukraine about the state of Russian airstrikes in my country."

Thursday night, a Russian drone strike hit a residential building in Kharkiv City, Ukraine, and an energy facility in the region, killing several people and cutting off electricity for 350,000 residents, Ukrainian officials said.

"NATO's biggest battle will still occur in the future, and we must be ready to deal with it," Foreign Minister Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters.

Earlier, NATO ministers agreed to start planning a bigger role in coordinating military aid to Ukraine to help him fight Russia on Wednesday.

"This is a continuous discussion that we will hold in the next few weeks, and I imagine you will see something at the summit when we meet in Washington in July," Foreign Minister Blinken said.

However, it remains unclear whether the five-year fund of 100 billion euros proposed by Stoltenberg will be accepted by NATO members, who make decisions based on consensus. Hungary has signaled to opposition and other members, warning against duplicating bilateral aid efforts and the European Union for Ukraine.