Blinken: Allies must 'double down' on defense aid to Ukraine

Ukraine's international partners, including the United States, need to redouble their efforts to locate and provide Kyiv with necessary resources as Russia builds up its defense-industrial base, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters after the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Brussels on April 4.

Foreign ministers, including Ukraine's Dmytro Kuleba, convened for a two-day summit in Brussels to discuss strategies for increasing security asssistance to Ukraine on NATO's 75th anniversary.

"Based on what I heard today ... everyone, including the United States, is going to double back and, as necessary, double down on finding the resources that Ukraine continues to need," Blinken said.

Blinken also said that the United States was working on its own bilateral security agreement with Ukraine. Kyiv signed security agreements with seven allied countries in 2024 and is currently negotiating 10 other deals.

The summit agenda included options for protecting aid to Kyiv from a potential second Trump presidency, including transferring the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), also known as the Ramstein format, to NATO control.

Kuleba also met with Blinken on April 4 to discuss Ukraine's energy sector, hit hard in recent Russian attacks, and battlefield needs.

Following the meeting, Blinken told reporters that NATO support for Ukraine remains "rock solid."

"Ukraine will become a member of NATO," he said.

NATO will hold a summit in Washington in July, at which the Alliance will "help build a bridge to that membership," Blinken said.

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