U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said more aid is urgently needed for Ukraine following a NATO meeting of foreign ministers, adding the message from allies in Brussels was clear that the U.S. Congress vote on aid for Ukraine cannot happen soon enough.

Blinken, speaking to reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said support for Ukraine is especially important as countries such as China, North Korea and Iran are helping Russia build up its defense industrial base. (Reporting by Simon Lewis, Ismail Shakil and Daphne Psaledakis)