NATO announced on Thursday that it will supply Ukraine with secure communications equipment by the end of the year to help Kiev combat destabilisation efforts by Russia.
Alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg praised Ukraine for its "calm and restraint" during the recent naval standoff with Russia in the Azov Sea and said NATO support for Kiev would continue.
After talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Stoltenberg repeated a call for Russia to free sailors seized in the Azov Sea clash last month.
"Today, I told President Poroshenko that we will deliver secure communications equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the end of this year," Stoltenberg said.
"We are also supporting Ukraine to improve its naval capabilities, logistics and cyber defence."