NATO foreign ministers have gathered in Brussels to discuss strengthening the alliance’s defence capabilities.

This is due to increasing pressure faced by European allies from the U.S. to raise spending while dealing with the threat posed by Russia.

Speaking ahead of the two-day meeting, on Thursday, NATO secretary-general, Mark Rutte, stressed that the gathering comes at “a particularly crucial time for our shared security, with challenges too great for any of us to bear alone.’’

He noted that while allies had already pledged over £20 billion ($21.6 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine in 2025, “the threat we face from Russia remains.”

NATO allies had been determined to present a united front in the light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But those efforts have been undermined by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump in recent weeks.

In search of a quick peace deal, Washington had suggested that Ukraine might have to give up on its ambition to join NATO and make territorial concessions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to echo this stance at the meeting in Brussels.

Ukrainian foreign minister  Andrii Sybiha, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners are also expected to attend.

At a NATO leaders’ summit in June, the alliance is expected to decide to raise its defence spending target from its current minimum of two per cent of gross domestic product.

The Trump administration had urged allies to increase defence expenditure to five per cent of GDP, accusing European NATO countries of freeloading on Washington’s massive defence budget.

Mr Rutte reiterated on Wednesday that allies would have to raise spending to considerably north of three per cent. 

(dpa/NAN)