The defense ministers of NATO member countries have not yet agreed that allied funding of military assistance to Ukraine should be at least EUR 40 billion annually.

Asked whether the Italian Defense Minister in Brussels at a meeting of defense chiefs really rejected the NATO Secretary General's plan, which provides for EUR 40 billion a year in aid to Kyiv, Stoltenberg said that "we have not yet agreement on that."

"But I work and many Allies are very supportive of the idea that we need not only to have short term pledges, they are welcome of course, but if we could have more long-term predictable pledges, it will give the Ukrainians a better planning assumptions," he said.

The NATO Secretary General said this would give greater predictability and transparency, ensure minimal or fair distribution within the alliance and "it will send a message to Moscow that they cannot wait us out."

"We have one important decision in place today. We actually have also big announcements on the immediate needs. But then we need to work on the language for membership and we need to work on the financial pledge. We still have some weeks to go before Washington," he said at a press conference following the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.