NATO must boost its support of Ukraine in the months ahead to pressure Russia and to ensure Ukraine can prevail in the war, British Defence Minister John Healey said on Thursday.

"We must do everything we can to step up our support for Ukraine in the weeks and months ahead, to put more pressure on Russia to ensure that Ukraine can prevail, because the defense of Europe starts in Ukraine," Healey said before a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

"We owe them that duty to stand with them as long as it takes," he said.