The NATO-Ukraine Council will hold an inaugural meeting at the chiefs of staff level as part of the North Atlantic Alliance’s Military Committee session scheduled for Jan. 17-18, according to the alliance’s website.

The meeting will include defense chiefs from allied countries, as well as their Swedish counterpart.

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According to the message, the defense chiefs will convene in the NATO-Ukraine Council format during the last session on the first day. They will discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield, as well as continued support for Ukraine by NATO and its members.

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Additionally, the officials are expected to address issues of the defense industry, operational planning, and ensuring the capabilities of alliance members, specifically relating to air defense and readiness enhancements, as noted in the announcement.

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Following the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, allied leaders stated that Ukraine will receive an invitation to NATO when allies agree and “conditions are met”. It was also agreed that Ukraine could join NATO without a Membership Action Plan (MAP).

The first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of foreign ministers concluded in Brussels on Nov. 29. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that an “ambitious” work program for the coming year had been approved at the meeting.

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