Summary of the day
Nato defence ministers met in Brussels.
The meeting came at a time when European officials are keeping a close eye on developments in the US, where Donald Trump said he would not defend Nato members that don’t meet defence spending target.
During the session, ministers highlighted their countries’ contributions to the alliance.
The French defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu, said his country’s defence spending will reach 2% of Gross Domestic Product this year.
Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, underscored “75 years of the transatlantic security partnership on the basis of mutual trust.”
Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, said it is in the US interest to have a strong Nato.
The alliance chief also said Nato is “on the right track” when it comes to defence investment.
France and Ukraine are expected to sign a bilateral agreement on security commitments tomorrow.
Air alert warnings sounded across Ukraine overnight as Russia launched a massive missile attack on the country.
A missile strike on the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border killed six people, a Russian official said.
Ukraine is conducting a manoeuvre in Avdiivka to withdraw troops in some areas to “more advantageous positions”, a military spokesman said.
Nato makes the US stronger, Stoltenberg says amid concerns about Trump critique
Asked about criticism from some American politicians, Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary-general, said:
We are 31 democratic nations on both sides of the Atlantic. And as long as this alliance has existed, there have been different views and discussions.
He added:
When you look at the opinion polls, there is record high support for Nato.
“I’m confident,” Stoltenberg said, “that Nato will remain the strongest and most succesful alliance in history.”
He also said:
I expect the United States to continue to be a staunch ally, for at least three reasons:
First, it is in the national security interest of the United States to have a strong Nato.
Second, there is actually broad bipartisan support for Nato in the United States.
And thirdly, the criticism in the United States is not primarily against Nato, it’s against Nato allies not spending enough money on Nato.
And then actually we have a very good story to tell. Because for many years, it was a valid point and a fair case to raise from the US side that European allies and Canada did not spend enough.
But things have really changed, with increased defence spending across Canada and Europe.
Stoltenberg underscored that “it is in the US interest to have a strong Nato because no other major power has anything like Nato – more than 30 friends and allies, and that makes the US stronger.”
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'No room for miscalculation in Moscow' about readiness to defend allies, Stoltenberg says
Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, said ministers discussed the “deteriorating security environment.”
“We can never take peace for granted,” he said, “but we do not see an imminent military threat against the alliance.”
He added:
Nato continues to ensure there’s no room for miscalculation in Moscow about our readiness to protect all allies.
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'We are on the right track' on defence investment, Nato chief says
Speaking to reporters after the Nato defence ministers’ meeting, Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance’s secretary-general, said “today we accelerated work on resourcing our new defence plans and strengthening our transatlantic defence industrial base.”
“This requires investment, and we are on the right track,” he stressed.
In 2024, European Nato allies will invest a total of 380 billion dollars in defence, he said, noting that for the first time, this amounts to 2% of their total GDP.
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Denys Shmyhal, the Ukrainian prime minister, said he had a conversation with his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk.
The main topic is the situation at the border.
We also talked about the increase in imports, especially grain, from the Russian federation and third countries to the EU.
Ukraine and Poland should join forces to prevent Russian products from entering the European market.
I had a conversation with the Polish Prime Minister @donaldtusk. The main topic is the situation at the border. We also talked about the increase in imports, especially grain, from the russian federation and third countries to the EU. 🇺🇦 and 🇵🇱 should join forces to prevent…
— Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) February 15, 2024
At least six killed and 18 injured in Russian city of Bolgorod, say Russian officials
A missile strike on the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukraine border on Thursday killed six people, including a child, and injured 18 others, a Russian official said. It was the latest in exchanges of long-range missile and rocket fire in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Hours earlier, Russia fired two dozen cruise and ballistic missiles at a broad area of Ukraine, hitting multiple regions after a midnight strike in Ukraine’s northeast killed five people in an apartment building, authorities said.
Five of the 18 people injured in Belgorod, a city of about 340,000 people, were children, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. Tass news agency reported that 15 people were hospitalized.
In its latest defence intelligence update, the British defence ministry said that “on 14 February 2024, Ukrainian forces conducted a successful uncrewed surface vessel attack on the Russian Rophucha-class landing craft Tsezar Kunikov, which almost certainly resulted in the sinking of the vessel.”
It added that “three of ten Ropucha-class vessels have now been destroyed by Ukrainian strikes.”
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 15 February 2024.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 15, 2024
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/OvlDlvNrbQ #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/yMpP1njvzH
Canada’s defence minister, Bill Blair, has announced that his country has finalised procuring an air defence capability and is acquiring new counter-drone equipment for Canadian troops in Latvia.
Today, Minister Blair announced that Canada has finalized procuring an Air Defence Capability & is acquiring new counter-drone equipment for Canadian troops in Latvia.
— Canada at NATO 🇨🇦 (@CanadaNATO) February 15, 2024
This new equipment will bolster their defensive capabilities & those of NATO's @eFPBGLatvia as a whole. pic.twitter.com/iqvL1FTRUU
Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, has welcomed the new members of the European Sky Shield Initiative, which now has 21 members.
Defence Minister #Pistorius: We welcome 🇬🇷 and 🇹🇷 as new members of the European Sky Shield Initiative #ESSI, which now has more members, greater security and lower costs. The conclusion of a purchase contract with Slovenia for an IRIS-T SLM firing unit is a further achievement. https://t.co/pWYWTbe5jS
— Germany at NATO (@GermanyNATO) February 15, 2024
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, will travel to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, which begins tomorrow
In 2022, he came to Munich just a few days before Russia brutally attacked his country.
— Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 15, 2024
In 2023, he opened our conference virtually and shared his vision for #Ukraine's future.
We are honored to confirm that 🇺🇦 President @ZelenskyyUA will join us for #MSC2024 in person. pic.twitter.com/jRXgnF1PaI
Here’s a “family photo” from today’s Nato defence minister’s meeting.
Updated
5 people killed in Belgorod, Russia says
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, said in a post on Telegram that 5 people were killed and 18 injured in a Ukrainian missile attack.
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Ukraine is conducting a manoeuvre in Avdiivka to withdraw troops in some areas to “more advantageous positions”, military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said today, Reuters reported.
He said that Ukraine had activated a backup logistics route into the town, but that supplies into Avdiivka and evacuations from it were “difficult”.
France and Ukraine to seal security agreement tomorrow
France and Ukraine will sign a bilateral agreement on security commitments tomorrow, the Elysee has announced, Reuters reported.
The agreement was expected to be finalised in Ukraine, but the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had postponed his trip.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is set to visit France and Germany.
After Donald Trump said he would not defend Nato members that don’t meet defence spending targets, European governments are keen to showcase their contributions to the alliance’s defences.
This dynamic was on full display this morning.
The German delegation to Nato posted on social media reiterating that Germany “provides significant forces postures” to the alliance.
The French defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu, said his country’s defence spending will reach 2% of Gross Domestic Product this year.
Germany provides significant force postures to #NATO. One example is the planned stationing of a #Bundeswehr brigade in 🇱🇹. Germany also plays a very important role as a logistical hub for redeployments of Allied troop contingents and in providing the services entailed. 2/2
— Germany at NATO (@GermanyNATO) February 15, 2024
Depuis Bruxelles où il participe à la réunion des ministres de la Défense de l’#Otan, @SebLecornu a annoncé ce matin que le budget de défense de la France atteint 2% du PIB en 2024.
— Ministère des Armées 🇫🇷 (@Armees_Gouv) February 15, 2024
➡️La France remplit ainsi un engagement pris par l’ensemble des États membres lors du sommet de… pic.twitter.com/keIXinmVXu
The World Bank, the European Commission, and the United Nations have increased their estimates for the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine to $486 billion (€452.8 billion) over the next decade, up from $411 billion (€383 billion) estimated one year ago.
In a joint statement they said:
In 2024 alone, Ukrainian authorities estimate the country will need around $15 billion (€14 billion) for immediate reconstruction and recovery priorities at both the national and community level, with a particular focus on supporting and mobilising the private sector alongside restoration of housing, soft infrastructure and services, energy, and transport.
The figures highlight the urgency of the EU’s commitment to deliver €50bn in a new Ukraine facility to find schools, housing, pensions and health services at an emergency leaders meeting last month.
Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s prime minister, said:
We see that the needs for reconstruction have continued to grow over the past year.
The main resource for Ukraine’s recovery should be the confiscation of Russian assets frozen in the West. We need to start this process already this year.
Concurrently, the Ukrainian government is creating conditions to attract private investments, which will accelerate the reconstruction process and transform our country on its path to the EU.
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Germany must aim to be 'backbone of conventional deterrence and defence', minister says
Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, underscored when arriving at the Nato defence ministers’ meeting this morning the “75 years of the transatlantic security partnership on the basis of mutual trust.”
Germany, he said, along with along with 17 other Nato allies, “will reach the agreed 2% target this year.”
He added:
Our aim must be to be the backbone of conventional deterrence and defence in Europe with other partners.
Ahead of the first #NATO Defence Ministerial in the Alliance’s 75th anniversary year, Defence Minister #Pistorius highlighted the “75 years of mutual support in NATO and 75 years of effective external deterrence”. #StrongerTogether👇 https://t.co/soT7gpbDuY
— Germany at NATO (@GermanyNATO) February 15, 2024
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UK to co-lead coalition to supply thousands of drones for Ukraine
Grant Shapps, the British defence secretary, said that the UK will co-lead a major drone capability coalition with Latvia for Ukraine.
I’m proud to announce that the UK and Latvia will co-lead an international coalition to build Ukraine’s vital drone capabilities.
Together, we will give Ukraine the capabilities it needs to defend itself and win this war, to ensure that Putin fails in his illegal and barbaric ambitions.
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Senior US official warns of security threat amid reports of Russian nuclear capability in space
The head of the House intelligence committee, Mike Turner, has called for the Biden administration to declassify information on what he called a “serious national security threat”, which was later reported to involve Russian plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space.
In his statement, Turner, an Ohio Republican, gave no details about the supposed security threat.
Talking to reporters at the White House later on Wednesday, the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, expressed surprise at Turner’s statement saying he was due to meet the “gang of eight” (congressional leaders with special security clearance for classified briefings) on Thursday. But Sullivan did not give any details of the planned meeting.
ABC News and the New York Times cited unnamed sources as saying that the security threat Turner was referring to involved Russia’s potential deployment of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon in space.
The New York Times said US allies had also been briefed on the intelligence, which was not deemed to represent an urgent threat, as the alleged Russian capability was still in development.
Read the full story here.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, has thanked Australia for contributing funds to strengthen Kyiv’s defence capabilities.
I am grateful to Australia and Prime Minister @AlboMP for contributing $32.4 million to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities through the International Fund for Ukraine, which is administered by the UK Ministry of Defence.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 15, 2024
Australia demonstrates its commitment to defending…
'Supporting Ukraine is not charity,' Nato chief says as ministers meet in Brussels
Arriving at today’s meeting of defence ministers, the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, told reporters that “supporting Ukraine is not charity” and that helping Kyiv “is an investment in our own security.”
He said ministers will discuss their support to Ukraine and strengthening the alliance’s deterrence and defence.
He added:
And to do both, we need to invest more, and we are on the right track. Because we now have historic numbers when it comes to defence investments. Last year, we saw an 11% real increase in defence spending across Europe and Canada. This year, we expect 18 Allies to meet the target of spending 2% of GDP on defence. And European Allies together spend 280 billion US dollars on defence. And this is 2% of their combined GDP.
But we still have a way to go. Because at our summit in Vilnius last year, all allies promised to spend 2% of GDP on defence, and 2% is a minimum.
Addressing today’s session with Ukraine’s representatives, Stoltenberg said:
We will address how to sustain our support to Ukraine. We see that our support is making a difference on the battlefield every day. Just yesterday, the Ukrainians were able to strike successfully a Russian naval ship, and this demonstrates the skills and the competence of Ukrainian armed forces, also in conducting deep strikes behind the Russian lines.
He also stressed that Nato allies need to boost production of ammunition.
To ensure that Ukraine gets the weapons, the supplies, the ammunitions they need, we need to ramp up production. And NATO allies have, just over the last months - since we agreed the defence investment plan - agreed and signed contracts for 10 billion euros, for more orders from different parts of the transatlantic defence industry.
Russia launches massive missile attack on Ukraine
Air alert warnings sounded across Ukraine overnight as Russia launched a massive missile attack on the country. Ukrainian authorities reported the take-off of several Tu-95 strategic bombers in the early hours of Thursday morning, with explosions heard soon after.
In Dnipro, a series loud explosions were audible shortly after 6am in the centre of the city. There were also reports of explosions in Zaporizhzhia, the capital Kyiv and the western city of Lviv. Andriy Sadoviy, the mayor of Lviv, said ten Russian missiles had been aimed at the Lviv region.
In Zaporizhzhia, close to the front line with Russian forces, there were reports of a damaged apartment building. There was no information immediately available about casualties.
Updated
Welcome to the blog
Good morning and welcome back to the Europe blog.
Today we will be delving into the Nato defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, which will include a session of the Nato-Ukraine Council.
We will also keep you updated on all the latest in Ukraine.
