NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte set the tone for the Ankara summit, which kicks off as leaders arrive today, Tuesday, with a stark warning: Russia cannot win through terror, Ukraine is holding the line, and NATO must accelerate the weapons and air defenses Kyiv needs to withstand Moscow’s assault. Speaking at a press conference in Ankara, the alliance chief tied Ukraine’s sovereignty to Western security and urged member states to accelerate the flow of military aid – especially air defense – after another deadly overnight wave of Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield, thanks to the bravery, the dedication, and ingenuity of their armed forces,” Rutte told reporters. But he stressed that heroism alone cannot stop Moscow’s air campaign. “They need our continuous support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, with another horrific attack just last night,” he said. Western backing for Kyiv, Rutte made clear, cannot be treated as optional or left to only a handful of proactive member states. “All allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow,” he stated. “Ukraine’s security is so closely linked with our own.” The secretary general described NATO’s continued backing as a direct message to the Kremlin.