On 27 February, marking two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion and ten years since Russia first invaded Ukraine, the eighth meeting of the EU-NATO Staff Coordination on Ukraine allowed experts to exchange on the cooperation between both organisations and share respective actions in support of Ukraine.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is the gravest threat to the Euro-Atlantic security in decades. Russia’s gross and clear violations of international and humanitarian law go against the very principles of the UN Charter and values that underpin EU and NATO.

Cooperation on Ukraine is a key focus in the EU-NATO strategic partnership. The EU and NATO have stood together with Ukraine from the very first day, as vowed on 24^th February, 2022 by the EU and NATO institutional leadership. The EU will “continue to provide Ukraine with what it takes”, as stressed by the High Representative Josep Borrell.

In the last two years, the EU has provided to Ukraine over €88 billion in humanitarian, financial, economic and military support. Military support alone, provided by the EU and Member States, amounts to €28 billion so far. This figure is expected to increase with more than €20 billion already planned by Member States as deliveries to Ukraine for this year only. In addition, the EU will have trained 60 000 Ukraine armed forces by next summer and will continue to strengthen its defence industry to acquire defence capabilities and continue supporting Ukraine.

The mechanism of regular meetings between EU and NATO staffs was set up in February 2022. It brings together experts from the European External Action Service, the European Commission, and NATO, covering a wide range of areas of support to Ukraine, including military support, humanitarian assistance, energy, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) preparedness, and demining.

The 8^th meeting was chaired by EEAS Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defence, Charles Fries, European Commission Deputy Secretary General John Watson and NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Boris Ruge.

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