Ukrainian Defense Minister to hold closed-door talks with NATO Secretary General in Brussels

NATO has announced a meeting scheduled for December 1 at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels between Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal.

"On Monday, 1 December 2025, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will meet the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Mr Denys Shmyhal, at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels," the official statement reads.

This will be one of the key diplomatic events at the beginning of December, as the talks will take place against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression and the global discussion of Trump’s peace plan.

According to unofficial sources, during the visit, the parties plan to discuss current issues of Ukraine’s defense support, further integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, as well as the status of implementing decisions made by Alliance member states during previous defense ministers’ meetings.

Although no statements or press conferences are planned for the media, the outcomes of the visit could send an important signal regarding NATO’s next steps in supporting Ukraine.

It has been announced that official photos of the meeting will be published on NATO’s website after its conclusion.

Military assistance to Ukraine

During the most recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, Ukraine’s partners announced defense support amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Germany, following the 31st Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, decided to provide an additional €400 million for the production of Ukrainian long-range drones, alongside other military aid.

Furthermore, during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, Ukraine discussed all types of long-range missiles with the United States.

Earlier, in early November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s partners had already provided nearly $3 billion to cover urgent defense needs under PURL, which enabled the creation of five US military aid packages.