He emphasized that this will ensure the provision of weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and will help increase pressure on the aggressor country, Russia, forcing the illegitimate President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to come to the negotiating table.
Hilli did not specify which countries announced new assistance. He noted that the United Kingdom is providing a new package worth £150 million (approximately €180 million) and has also confirmed guarantees of allocating £4.5 billion (€5.4 billion) for military support to Ukraine this year.
The minister highlighted that 2025 will be critical in terms of the war, especially as Russian troops continue to shell Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
"Russia still feels no remorse, Russia remains dangerous, and at this critical moment, we will intensify our support for Ukraine," he stated.
Hilli also mentioned that he heard from the new head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, a confirmation of the "unwavering commitment of the U.S. to this contact group, Ukraine's pursuit of a durable peace, and the importance of security guarantees." He stressed that European countries have already ramped up their efforts in this direction and will continue to do so.
"In 2024, NATO members promised to provide €40 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, yet they delivered €50 billion. The majority, nearly 60% of this assistance, came to Ukraine last year from European nations," Hilli noted.