A round table meeting of NATO foreign minsters has just begun in Brussels, where they're expected to speak about ongoing peace talks, as well as defence issues.
Speaking briefly to the press on arrival, NATO chief Mark Rutte says that while it's good the peace talks are ongoing, NATO has to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position.
He says officials will discuss "keeping Ukraine as strong as possible in the fight today", but also "to be in the strongest possible position when peace talks really start to happen in a way where this could lead to results."
The meeting, one of only two formal ministerials on NATO’s annual calendar, was expected to showcase unity as allies review progress since the Hague Summit and begin preparing for the 2026 summit in Ankara.
Instead, Rubio’s decision to skip the talks – a rarity for a U.S. secretary of state has fueled questions about Washington’s position under U.S. President Donald Trump.
With Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau attending in Rubio’s place, analysts say the U.S. absence will be impossible to ignore at a moment when the alliance is trying to coordinate military support and a political path forward for Kyiv.
The meeting comes as the U.S. pushes allies to narrow differences on a peace proposal drafted with input from Washington and Moscow – a document that has triggered widespread criticism in Europe for appearing overly aligned with Russian demands.
Much of Wednesday’s closed-door debate is expected to center on the peace plan, which European and Ukrainian officials have spent the past two weeks rewriting.
European leaders insist that only Ukraine can decide on its own territories, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says security guarantees and preserving sovereignty are top priorities.
The initial draft included language suggesting limitations on NATO expansion, caps on the size of the Ukrainian military and the de-facto recognition of Russian control over large swathes of Ukrainian territory – provisions that prompted sharp pushback from European capitals.
‘More aggressive’ posture on hybrid threats
The ministers will also discuss what NATO officials say is a surge in suspected Russian hybrid operations across Europe.
Recent months have seen drones allegedly linked to Russia violate airspace in Poland and Romania, unexplained drone disruptions at airports and military sites in Western Europe, and the sabotage of a key rail line between Warsaw and Kyiv in November.
The ministers are also expected to review Operation Eastern Sentry – a plan to bolster defences on the alliance’s eastern flank, which was activated after Poland claimed Russian drones violated its airspace in September.
Another key focus will be sustaining military support for Ukraine, including coordination through the NATO-Ukraine Council with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday, urging additional air defence systems as Russian missile and drone barrages continue.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 3rd of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin on Tuesday, marking the highest-level contact yet in Donald Trump’s push to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday that the alliance remains divided over Ukraine’s potential membership, though he stressed that efforts to secure a just and lasting peace continue in close coordination with the United States.
Georgia’s political leadership has sharply criticised NATO’s long-standing hesitation on memberships, accusing the alliance of 'finger-pointing'.
A four-part docuseries executive produced by Curtis '50 cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton on Netflix is at the centre of controversy online.
Russia has claimed a decisive breakthrough in the nearly four-year war, with the Kremlin announcing the total capture of the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk just hours before United States mediators were due to arrive in Moscow.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed critical issues surrounding Ukraine’s ongoing conflict, the role of American mediation, and European involvement during a press conference on Monday, reaffirming France’s commitment to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and ensuring peace in the region.
Venezuela is facing mounting diplomatic and economic isolation as regional governments, airlines and international bodies react to escalating tensions between Caracas and Washington.
The Georgian Dream party says it has taken legal action against British Broadcaster BBC following an accusation of defamation in article published about protests in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital.
Salvador Nasralla of Honduras’ centrist Liberal Party has taken a razor-thin lead over conservative rival Nasry Asfura, the candidate backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, in a presidential election marred by delays and allegations of fraud.
The core United Nations (UN) budget could be cut by $577 million next year under a proposal from UN's Secretary-General António Guterres, who is also seeking to eliminate more than 18% of jobs.
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a blistering verbal attack on the Somali community, characterising migrants as "garbage" just as federal authorities prepare a contentious enforcement operation in the Midwestern state of Minnesota.
The disappearance nearly 12 years ago of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 with 239 people on board remains one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.
As the race to succeed António Guterres gathers pace, Rebeca Grynspan has issued a stark challenge to the United Nations: end eight decades of male exclusivity and finally elect a woman on merit.
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