Ukraine updates: NATO meets with focus on support for Kyiv

Secretary General Mark Rutte said NATO members must focus more on delivering weapons to Ukraine than debating possible scenarios for peace with Russia.

"Ukraine doesn't need more ideas on what a peace process could look like," Rutte said.

He stressed that Ukraine is in urgent need for more military aid and missile defense systems. 

In terms of peace talks with Russia, Rute said Ukraine should do so on its own accord and if it does, Kyiv needs to be able to negotiate from the strongest position possible.

"To get there, it is crucial that more military aid will be pumped into Ukraine," the NATO chief said.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on NATO countries to send at least 20 more air defense systems. Kyiv hopes it can help fend off Russian attacks on its energy system. 

Russia has recently sought to disable or damage many Ukrainian power stations and substations through airstrikes.

"We understand that Russians, they try to deprive us of producing energy, that's why we need also more support," Sybiha told journalists ahead of a meeting with NATO foreign ministers. 

Ukraine has requested air defense systems capable of shooting down the new Oreshnik experimental ballistic missile fired by Russia. 

Specifically, Kyiv asked for the urgent supply of air defense systems like Hawk, NASAMS and IRIS-Ts, to "avoid blackout," Sybiha said.

There will be no immediate decision on Ukraine's NATO membership, Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized. Some members still insist that an invitation cannot be extended as long as Ukraine is at war with Russia, as DW's Alexandra von Nahmen reports from Brussels.

Ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, the alliance's Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that what Ukraine needs is to be in the strongest possible position ahead of potential peace talks, not more ideas about what that peace would look like.

"We will all need to do more. The stronger our military support to Ukraine is now, the stronger their hand will be at the negotiating table," Rutte told a press briefing.

Russian President Vladimir "Putin is not interested in peace. He is pressing on, trying to take more territory. Because he thinks he can break Ukraine's resolve and ours, but he is wrong," he added.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made similar remarks earlier in the day, conceding that a deal is the most likely way the war will end under the current circumstances.

"We must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defense for as long as it takes," Starmer said during a speech in London. "To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future."

Russia is continuing its attacks on critical infrastructure, triggering power cuts once again as the cold winter months bear down on Ukraine.

The latest strikes hit several targets in western Ukraine, which has been largely spared from the worst of the violence in the nearly three-year war.

Overnight strikes on the Rivne region hit a major energy facility, and another power station was hit in the town of Ternopil.

"An enemy drone hit an energy infrastructure facility in Ternopil. Part of the city is without electricity," said Mayor Sergiy Nadal. 

Russian forces have regularlytargeted power plants and energy infrastructure during the last several winters in order to hurt Ukrainian morale.

NATO members are heading to Brussels on Tuesday to attend the last high-level NATO meeting before the Biden administration leaves office next month.

Foreign ministers from the 32 NATO member states will meet in Brussels where rallying support for Ukraine will be on top of the agenda ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House in January.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to "discuss priorities for transatlantic security, including supporting Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, deepening cooperation with NATO's southern partners in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sahel regions, and preparing for the upcoming summit at The Hague," the US State Department said.

However, according to diplomats, Ukraine's hope for a membership invitation are likely to go unfulfilled as there is no indication that NATO's members have agreed on such a decision.

"It will take weeks and months to get consensus," a senior NATO diplomat, on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters news agency on Monday. "I don't see that happening tomorrow, I would be very surprised."

A senior US official said the meeting would focus on surging support for Ukraine so it was in the strongest possible position next year, "going into possible negotiations."

"The best way to do that is to surge money, munitions and mobilization," the official said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his visit to Kyiv on Monday. 

"Today, Chancellor Scholz visited Ukraine. We had an extensive discussion — one of the longest bilateral meetings, in a special format, lasting more than two and a half hours," Zelenskyy said, while mentioning that the main focus of the talk was "air defense and strengthening our protection of the skies."

He mentioned that Germany is number one in Europe regarding aid to Ukraine: "I want to thank the Chancellor personally, as well as all of Germany — who stand so firmly with us. It is vital for Ukraine that the level of German support does not decrease in the future."

Zelenskyy said Scholz "saw specific Ukrainian weapons produced jointly with Germany that can significantly influence the situation at the front."

Zelenskyy thanked German companies that are working with Ukraine, and said "he discussed upcoming contacts with our European partners in the coming weeks, as well as the negotiations planned for this month" with Scholz. 

"Olaf, I want to personally thank you, and I extend my gratitude to your country — thank you, Germany!" Zelenskyy said.   

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a package of missiles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines and other weapons worth $725 million (roughly €690 million) for Ukraine on Monday. 

This comes as the outgoing Biden administration looks to ramp up deliveries before the handover to President-elect Donald Trump in January, amid questions on how that might impact Washington's stance on the conflict.

Blinken said in a statement that the package would include stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (or HIMARS), drones and land mines, among other items. 

"The United States and 50 other nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression," Blinken said.

Russia has been making gains in Ukraine's east in recent months and Russian airstrikes threaten the energy grid as winter sets in. 

It is the first time in decades the US has exported anti-personnel landmines, with their use contentious because of the potential to harm civilians and for long-term contamination of areas.

Neither Russia nor the US are parties to the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning their use, however. Ukraine started requesting them soon after Russia's invasion.

mfi/ab (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)