Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a full day of diplomacy at the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels on Tuesday — the first leg of an international trip that will also take him to North Macedonia, Israel and the West Bank amid the Israel-Hamas war and the UN Climate Conference, COP28, in the U.A.E. 

What You Need To Know

  • Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a full day of diplomacy at the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels on Tuesday
  • Russia’s war in Ukraine was top-of-mind at this year’s meeting of top diplomats, which also marks the first foreign ministers meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council
  • Blinken on Tuesday sought to emphasize the United States’ commitment to Ukraine, even as the fate of additional aid from the U.S. is uncertain
  • The U.S. will host the next NATO summit this summer in Washington 
  • Blinken is also traveling to Israel and the West Bank amid the Israel-Hamas war and Dubai to attend COP28 events

Along with two sessions of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, Blinken’s agenda on Tuesday included sit downs with the Norwegian, Turkish, Canadian, German, Italian, French, British and European Union foreign ministers as well as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 

Russia’s war in Ukraine was top-of-mind at this year’s gathering of top diplomats, which also marks the first foreign ministers meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, the body formed at July’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania to bring Ukraine closer to the alliance in which it hopes to eventually become a member. 

President Joe Biden has consistently said that now, in the middle of a war, is not the time for Ukraine to join the 31-member security alliance as it would likely draw NATO into war with Russia under Article 5 of the alliance’s treaty. 

Blinken on Tuesday sought to emphasize America’s commitment to Ukraine, even as the fate of additional aid from the U.S. is uncertain. Congress has yet to pass more assistance to Ukraine — originally requested by Biden in August — as the White House warns its ability to provide support is running dry without new funds. 

“We will be strongly reaffirming our support for Ukraine as it continues to face Russia’s war of aggression,” Blinken told Stoltenberg on Tuesday. Blinken also said the pair would discuss security in the Western Balkans more generally. 

In his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the secretary pushed for the country to sign off on Sweden’s NATO membership as soon as possible. Sweden and Finland both applied for membership to the alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but were swiftly met with pushback from Turkey and Hungary. The countries allowed Finland’s ascension to the alliance in April but kept Sweden on edge. 

This summer, Turkey said it would allow Sweden’s bid to move forward but the vote has been delayed in the Turkish Parliament’s foreign affairs committee. Turkey’s full parliament still needs to vote on the move. 

This week’s meeting comes as the U.S. is preparing to host next year’s NATO summit in Washington this summer — which will also mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary. 

Just ahead of July’s summit, the alliance extended Stoltenberg’s term for another year despite the former prime minister of Norway, who has served as the security group’s leader since 2014, originally saying he would not seek another extension. Blinken on Tuesday heaped praise on the long-term NATO leader. 

“Everything that we’ve been able to do with the NATO alliance over the last few years — strengthening the alliance, making it fit for purpose for the challenges that we’re going to be facing in the years ahead, dealing with the Russian aggression against Ukraine, so many other things — none of that, none of that, would have happened without the leadership of Jens Stoltenberg,” he said. 

Following his engagements in Belgium and North Macedonia, Blinken is scheduled to head to Israel and the West Bank amid the Israel-Hamas war. 

“In Israel and the West Bank, Secretary Blinken will discuss Israel’s right to defend itself consistent with international humanitarian law, as well as continued efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages, protect civilian life during Israel’s operations in Gaza, and accelerate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. 

Blinken will round out the trip staying in the Middle East to attend COP28 events in Dubai. The White House on Monday would not confirm or deny reports that Biden was not planning on attending the climate conference this year. 

The president, who consistently calls climate change “an existential threat,” attended the previous two conferences.