As Western officials gathered in Brussels to send even more artillery from depleted weapon stocks and step up the production to help Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said in opening remarks that the meeting was taking place at "a critical time for our security." His comments pointed to the slow realization that Russia is making gains in Ukraine's east and President Zelenskyy's stated ambition of ejecting Russia from all occupied territories, including Crimea, is becoming increasingly distant.