US’s Blinken: NATO must ensure it is ready for the year ahead

NATO must ensure it is ready for the coming year amid Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and other threats, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday ahead of his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels.

“This is a vital moment, I think, for the alliance to make sure that we’re level set for the year ahead,” Blinken told reporters, adding that he shared Rutte’s concerns over the battlefield in Ukraine as well as Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.