NATO debates ways to boost ties with Ukraine as war against Russian invasion drags on

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO defense ministers are weighing future relations with Ukraine as Russia’s war on the country thwarts its hopes of joining the world’s biggest security alliance soon. NATO agreed in 2008 that Ukraine would join the organization one day, but did not set a date for it to start membership talks. During the war, Ukraine applied for fast-track membership. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he expects allies to “agree a multi-year program” to help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era standards and equipment to become “fully interoperable with NATO.” The ministers were also due Thursday to take part in a separate meeting of the U.S.-led Ukraine Contact Group to try to drum up more weapons and ammunition.