Ukraine-NATO Council to meet within Military Committee framework

A meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council will take place within the framework of the Military Committee at the level of chiefs of general staff of the alliance member countries.

According to a Tuesday report from NATO headquarters, the Military Committee meeting involving 32 alliance countries, as well as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus Grynkewich and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Admiral Pierre Vandier, will be held on May 19 under the chairmanship of the Committee head, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.

"During the first session of the Military Committee meeting of the chiefs of general staff, SACEUR will provide a briefing on NATO's path toward further strengthening the alliance's deterrence and defense. The chiefs of general staff will also discuss the status of current NATO-led missions, activities, and operations," the announcement states.

Following this, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will provide information regarding the political goals, priorities, and stages of the alliance on the path to the NATO summit in Ankara.

During the second official session, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Vandier will provide an updated overview of how NATO "is evolving its Defense Planning Process to better integrate new technologies, innovations, and operational experience, accelerate the delivery of capabilities, and help allies achieve capability targets faster, with a force structure that better matches the changing nature of war."

"The third session will be the NATO-Ukraine Council (at the chiefs of staff level), where the chiefs of general staff, together with the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (Sean Clancy), will discuss with Ukraine's Chief of Staff (Andriy Hnatov), connected via video format, the current situation along Ukraine's front lines and beyond, including the global consequences of the war. Continued NATO and EU support for Ukraine will also be on the agenda," the press release states.

In addition, during the final session, military officials will discuss cooperation between NATO and the EU, focusing on opportunities for "deeper and closer cooperation between the two organizations on a wide range of issues, from the defense industry to military mobility."