The NATO chief has said „more deaths, more suffering and more destruction” are likely amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But the alliance on Friday rejected implementing the no-fly zone requested by Kyiv.
“We are increasing the presence of NATO-allied forces in eastern art of the alliance, but we are not going to be part of the conflict,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Western powers to enforce a no-fly zone since Moscow’s invasion started nine days ago, with Russia shelling cities and seizing Europe’s largest nuclear plant after a battle with Ukrainians.
“Today, we discussed about our long-term defense changes, especially in the eastern part. Today we have some presence in the east allied countries,” he said after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
“We have battle groups in the Baltic states, in Poland and some presence in Romania,” he added. “We are seriously considering a significant increase in that presence both in more troops and more air defense, deterrence through defense.”
The NATO chief said decisions would be made at a meeting on March 16.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, whose country is not a member of the alliance, was present at the meeting of the NATO diplomats.
The takeover of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Friday by Russian forces raised concerns of a nuclear disaster like that in Chernobyl in 1986.
