NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks of the need for increased assistance to Ukraine from allies in light of the difficult situation on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Opening the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, which is taking place on Thursday in Brussels as part of a two-day meeting of the foreign ministers of the alliance member countries, Stoltenberg said: "Russia's brutal war against Ukraine has entered its third year. And as Ukraine continues to fight for its freedom, Allies continue to support Ukraine. The situation on the battlefield is difficult. This is an argument for stepping up our support not scaling down."

"Today we will address Ukraine's urgent practical and political needs, including how to strengthen NATO's support for Ukraine. At Vilnius we agreed the package of measures to bring Ukraine closer to NATO. And as we prepare for our Washington Summit, we're working together to cement Ukraine's path towards NATO membership. This matters for Ukraine's security and for our security," he said.