NATO Foreign Ministers hold a meeting in Brussels with the participation of Marco Rubio for the first time, where they will discuss support for Ukraine and the increase in military spending. The US Secretary of State has stated upon arrival at the meeting that his country "will remain in NATO" and has emphasized that allies should increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP.
"The United States remains as active in NATO as ever. And part of the hysteria and hyperbole that I see in the global media and in some US media about NATO is unjustified. President Trump has made it clear, he supports NATO. We will remain in NATO," Rubio stated.
On the other hand, Ukraine has reported that its air defenses shot down 28 out of the 39 drones launched by Russia this morning. The attack caused damage in the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have shot down 23 Ukrainian drones over six regions.
Russia Claims to Have Taken Two More Villages in Eastern Ukraine
The Russian Ministry of Defense asserts that its troops have taken control of the settlements of Vesele and Lobkove in eastern Ukraine, as reported by Reuters.
Marco Rubio Says the US Will Remain in NATO but Insists on Increasing Military Spending to 5% of GDP
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated on Thursday at the NATO headquarters that his country "will remain in NATO," while emphasizing that allies should increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP.
"The United States remains as active in NATO as ever. And part of this hysteria and hyperbole that I see in the global media and in some national US media about NATO is unjustified. President Donald Trump has made it clear, he supports NATO. We will remain in NATO," Rubio affirmed upon his arrival at a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels.
EU Defense Ministers Urge Increased Military Support for Ukraine
EU Defense Ministers acknowledged on Thursday the need to increase military support for Ukraine to address Russia's invasion, as they arrived at the informal meeting held in Warsaw.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, was asked upon arrival at the meeting about her initiative to allocate 5 billion euros for the acquisition of two million rounds of large-caliber artillery ammunition in 2025 for Ukraine.
"Things are progressing very well. My point is that we need the aid to reach Ukraine as soon as possible," she stated, mentioning that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said they need 5 billion euros for "at least two million rounds" of ammunition.
Rutte States that the US Will Not Suddenly Reduce its Military Presence in Europe
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on Thursday that the United States has no plans to suddenly reduce its military presence in European territory, although he considered it "logical" to have that debate as Washington aims to focus more on the Indo-Pacific region.
"There are no plans for them to suddenly reduce their presence here in Europe. But we know that the United States, being the superpower it is, has to address more theaters. It is logical that they have that debate, and we have been having it for many years," Rutte mentioned upon his arrival at a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers.
Russian Negotiator Announces Meetings in Washington
Vladimir Putin's Special Envoy for Investments and Economic Cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, announced that he will hold "meetings" in Washington with US representatives on Thursday, amid the bilateral rapprochement between Russia and the United States.
"On the 2nd and 3rd of April (...), I plan to hold meetings in Washington with representatives of President Donald Trump's administration," Kirill Dmitriev announced on Telegram, as reported by AFP. This visit marks the first by a senior Russian official to Washington since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russia Accuses Ukraine of "Provocative" Attacks on Energy Facilities
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine on Thursday of launching "provocative" attacks on Russian energy facilities despite the negotiated moratorium by the United States, as reported by Reuters.
Zakharova stated that since the start of the moratorium, Ukraine had used Western weapons to carry out more than 30 attacks on energy infrastructures in Russia and in areas of Ukraine controlled by Russia.
Russia Shoots Down 23 Ukrainian Drones over Six Regions
Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 23 Ukrainian drones over six regions of the country last night, as reported on Thursday by the Russian Ministry of Defense on its Telegram channel.
According to the military report, 13 of the destroyed unmanned aircraft were shot down over the border regions of Bryansk (6), Kursk (5), and Belgorod (2). The remaining drones were downed over the regions of Oryol (5), Kaluga (4), and Smolensk (1), which do not share a border with Ukraine.
11 Ukrainian Children Return from Russia
Eleven more Ukrainian children have been returned home from areas of Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine to which they had been taken without permission, announced Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Volodymyr Zelensky, on Wednesday.
Among the children, Yermak mentioned two brothers aged 10 and 12 whose father died after being tortured for expressing pro-Ukrainian views. Also returning home was a pregnant woman and her two-year-old son.
NATO Addresses Support for Ukraine and Defense Spending with Rubio for the First Time
NATO Foreign Ministers begin a two-day meeting in Brussels on Thursday with the first-time participation of US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to discuss support for Ukraine, the contacts initiated by the US for a ceasefire, and the increase in military spending.
"We live in a dangerous world (...), we must build a stronger, fairer, and more lethal NATO. That's why the ministers are here this week, to ensure we are aligned and actively working towards our common goal," stated NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a press conference on Wednesday.