Brussels, 15 February 2024 (MIA) - (dpa/MIA) - Washington's delay in approving military aid for Ukraine is having a visible "impact already," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Thursday in Brussels.

With Ukraine reporting ammunition shortages, Stoltenberg urged the US Congress to pass the multibillion-dollar package. "Supporting Ukraine is an investment in our own security," he said.

NATO defence ministers are at alliance headquarters to push ahead with talks to spend 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and discuss long-term support for Ukraine.

The alliance is "constantly" worried that Ukraine may run out of ammunition, UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps said but stressed that everything is being done to help them to repel the Russian invasion.

Antti Häkkänen, the Finnish minister of defence, said support for Ukraine must hold "as long as it's needed," pointing to his country's decision to double ammunition production to boost deliveries.

Discussions at NATO headquarters have been overshadowed by former US president Donald Trump, who on Saturday told supporters at a campaign rally that he would "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries that are not spending enough on defence.

With members under intense scrutiny over spending, Stoltenberg touted efforts to meet the 2% GDP commitment, and before the meeting highlighted again "an unprecedented rise of 11% across European allies and Canada" in defence spending.

As questions loom over US security commitments and Ukraine support, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that "Europe must do more for its own defence. Regardless of who will be in the White House after January 25."

NATO members have since 2006 agreed to spend 2% of their GDP on defence, but only a few have ever met this target - to the frustration of the United States.

In 2014, NATO vowed to stop cuts to defence budgets in the wake of the Russian invasion of Crimea in Ukraine.

Nine years later, NATO members committed to defence spending of a minimum of 2% of GDP, more than a year after the Russian war on Ukraine expanded to the rest of the country.

Sweden's accession to NATO, which is being held up by the Hungarian parliament's failure to ratify the decision, is also on the alliance's agenda.

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