NATO nations to boost alliance role in arms supply to Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that NATO countries have agreed to increase the alliance's role in providing weapons and training military personnel to Ukraine.

According to TASS, the decision was made at a press conference following the first day of the alliance's meeting of foreign policy chiefs.

Stoltenberg said that the allies have agreed to move forward with planning for an expanded NATO role in coordinating the provision of security and training assistance for Ukraine.

However, the plan's details will be shaped in the coming weeks. Stoltenberg declined to confirm that the fund for military supplies to Ukraine for the next five years should be $100 billion.

He also clarified that the North Atlantic Alliance was not discussing a direct military presence in Ukraine. Instead, they were discussing how to coordinate and deliver assistance outside Ukraine. Stoltenberg said that if NATO were to take over the coordination of all arms deliveries to Ukraine, which the US is currently doing, it would not make the alliance a party to the conflict.

Stoltenberg also condemned the Israeli army's attack on the staff of the humanitarian organisation World Central Kitchen (WCK) in the Gaza Strip. He stressed that a humanitarian disaster is taking place in the enclave, and Gaza civilians are suffering. According to him, the strike on humanitarian workers is unacceptable. The Secretary-General welcomed the intention of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to investigate the incident.