A summit to mark the alliance's birthday doubled as a renewed effort to keep members on board with aid for Ukraine.
At a conference to celebrate NATO's 75th anniversary, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Ukraine will join the alliance – and that the purpose of the summit in Brussels was to work toward that membership.
During the meeting, members of the Alliance praised determination and perseverance of Ukrainians and promised to continue to provide aid for the country. Yet Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reaffirmed that the alliance does not consider itself directly involved in the war.
"We don't have any plans of having any NATO combat troops inside Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. "The Ukrainians are asking for equipment, for ammunition, for weapons, and we are providing that to Ukraine. That doesn't make NATO allies party to the conflict, but we support Ukraine in upholding the right for self-defence."
