The prime minister heads to Vilnius in Lithuania for a NATO summit on Tuesday afternoon (AEST) after announcing the deployment of an Australian reconnaissance aircraft to Europe during a visit to Germany.

At the NATO summit, his second since becoming prime minister, Mr Albanese will attend a special meeting alongside three other “Indo-Pacific Four” partners: Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said while NATO was focused on the North Atlantic, there was a common interest in the global rules-based order.

“We live in a much more globalised world where issues that occur in one sphere affects the circumstances of those who live in the other,” Mr Marles told ABC TV on Tuesday.

“If you think about the work we’re doing not just with the United States, as important as that is, but with countries like Japan and Korea, like those in ASEAN, that’s our focus in terms of creating the kind of regional order that provides security within the Indo-Pacific.”

Although not a member of NATO, Australia has worked with the alliance since 2005 and been an “enhanced opportunities partner” since 2014.

Mr Albanese will meet with NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg and French president Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the summit.

In July last year, Mr Albanese and Mr Macron started work on a new agenda for cooperation based on defence, climate, education and culture.

He will also meet his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

A key meeting will be with a bipartisan delegation of US senators who will play a role in passing laws to enable the transfer of Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.

Mr Albanese earlier announced Australia would deploy a surveillance aircraft for logistical support to Ukraine.

The Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft would help protect multinational logistics hubs and allow the free flow of aid, but not enter Ukraine airspace.

The aircraft will be deployed for six months and based in Germany.

Mr Albanese said the deployment would include up to 100 crew and support personnel from Australia.

The prime minister reaffirmed Australia’s backing for the Ukrainian government.

“This is about the people of Ukraine, struggling to defend their democracy and their sovereignty,” he said.

While the Liberal-National coalition has continued to accuse the government of dropping the ball on military aid to Ukraine, Mr Marles says Australia is “punching above its weight”.

“We’ve been making announcements at a drumbeat of once every four months, but will keep doing this to provide the support necessary to see that Ukraine does prevail,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program.